StoneHouse quilt shop: Display case

I made some bolts of fabric for my quilt shop a few days ago.  I was happy with the outcome but I was left with a small pile of bolts of fabric.  I needed a place to display my fabric.   I had an idea in my mind.  I wanted a circular ‘table’ style display case.  I gathered my supplies and I went to work.

I didn’t have any pattern. I hadn’t laid out my plan on paper.  I decided to create as I went and fly by the seat of my pants.   

The first thing I did was pull out a few bolts of my fabric and eyeballed the size and shape. I settled on the size of my circular base and I drew it onto a piece of mat board. (I traced a circle using the lid from a candle jar.). 

Carefully, with my exacto knife I cut my circle base out.

As soon as I had my base cut out I pulled out those bolts of fabric and held them into place on the circle.   I even took them to the dollhouse to see them in place.  Doing this gave me an idea of how high this was going to be.  I originally thought that this would be table height, but upon seeing it in situ, I quickly realized that  I needed to lower the height.  But, I knew I needed to lift it off the floor a bit.  So I decided to do a simple base that would be totally stable and secure.

It is not pretty nor fancy, but it is on the underside and isn’t seen.  I needed stable functionality for this and not ‘beauty’.  I glued my support system in place and as soon as the glue was dried I flipped it right side up and I pulled out those bolts of fabric again.  I knew I wanted to have a center little table that rose above the bolts of fabric.  So just eyeballing the height against the bolts of fabric, I cut a piece of a piece of wood.  (Dowel  rods would work also, I just used a square piece of wood so that it what I had handy when I was creating this piece!)

From mat board I cut triangles ...basically eyeballing the size. These would be used as dividers for the bolts of fabric, but more importantly, they are a support system for that upright piece of wood.    I also had small wood circles left over from a different project that I decided would make the perfect size for my upper display.

I glued it all together. And waited for it to dry.

Once dried, I painted my pieces in a light gray.  I wanted my quilt shop to be light and airy, with the focus on the vibrant display of fabrics.   

I couldn’t wait to see the fabrics in place!

I have three display stands. And I couldn’t be happier.   The room is far from done, but it is definitely taking shape!