DIY Quilt Ladder

DIY Quilt Ladder – Step by step instructions on how to make your own display for quilts and blankets | SydneyMakesStuff |

Quilts. They are an obsession of mine.

I like to make them. I like to look at them. I like to snuggle with them. I like to hang them up. I like to figure out how someone made them. I like to pin |…endless…| examples of them all over my pinterest boards… It really is a bit excessive. But how can a quilt not just make you happy??? Seriously! They’re labors of love, and art, and creativity! They have stories and symbols and memories all stitched together to warm the hearts (and the laps) of whoever touches them! Okay I’ll stop obsessing for a moment… The point is, they deserve a place to be cherished and admired and displayed. And this is how I made a quilt ladder to display all of mine in my apartment!

Supplies:

• (1) 14′ long 2×4 – you can also substitute (2) 7′ long 2x4s
• (1) 6′ long 2×3 – you can also substitute 2x4s for this, but I like the look of the smaller pieces for the rungs
• Wood filler – natural color
• Wood Screws – I used 2 per each side of each rung, for a total of 16 screws. Make sure they’re long enough to go through the side of the 2×4 (approx 1.5″ and at least 1″ into the rung). I recommend a screw that’s 2.5+ inches long.
• Wood stain – I used Minwax Walnut
• Polyurethane – I used Rustoleum brand water based polyurethane
• Sander and sand paper – you can sand by hand if you want, but I prefer the efficiency of a power sander.
• Saw – you don’t necessarily need a saw if you have the folks at the hardware store cut the wood to length while you’re there. They shouldn’t have a problem doing this, just ask!
• Power drill – you could try to do this with a screw driver, but you’ll be working on this forever. Its best to use a power drill. Especially since I had to pre-drill holes too.

Instructions:

Step 1 – Cut the pieces to length. See the diagram below for measurements and quantities. You will need the following pieces:

• (2) approximately 6.5′ or 7′ long 2x4s – for the structure of the ladder
• (4) approximately 1.5′ long 2x3s – for the rungs

These cuts do not have to be exact, but the pieces do have to match each other. For instance, it doesn’t really matter if you would prefer a wider ladder and cut your rung pieces to 2’long, as long as ALL of the rung pieces are 2′ long.

Step 2 – Sand all the pieces down so they are smooth and have no rough edges. Don’t want anything catching on your quilt!

Step 3 – Lay everything out. You want to make sure you have everything the way you want it before you start putting it together. The diagram below will show you the spacing I used, but you can adjust to your own aesthetics if you’d like.

Step 4 – Screw everything together. I placed the rungs perpendicular to the side pieces and centered. I’ve seen some people place their rungs at an angle so that when the quilt leans against the wall, the rungs are parallel with the floor – that’s fine too! – that just wasn’t my preference. As I mentioned previously, I used (2) screws in each side of each rung. If you’re having trouble getting the screws started (which I did), you may need to drill in pilot holes. When drilling pilot holes, always make sure you pick a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the screw you are using. When in doubt, start on the smaller size and test it. You can always make the hole bigger – you can’t make it smaller!

Step 5 – Angle the legs. This is something that is optional, but I would recommend. This process is actually not as complicated as it might seem. All you do is lean the ladder against the wall at the angle you plan on using it – I recommend somewhere between 1′-6″ and 2′-0″. Get everything where you want it, and put a ruler (or anything straight that has some thickness to it – i.e. a book or binder) against the foot of the ladder. Stand it up so one side is on the floor. Mark along the edge that is against the ladder. This should give you a line that is parallel to the floor at the exact place you are going to cut. The photos will give you a better idea of how this is done. You can also do this for the top of the ladder that will lean against the wall. Its the same process, except you’ll have your ruler against the wall instead of the floor. Sand the cut edges.

Step 6 – Fill the holes. Just follow the instructions on the wood filler you have

and work accordingly. FYI – This step isn’t a true necessity. If you like the look of the exposed hardware, by all means, skip it! It is extra work to fill and sand down the filler, so I don’t blame you!

Step 7 – Stain and finish. In the supply list I included the products I used to stain and finish my ladder. By all means, feel free to improvise! Use a brush or a spray, a light stain, a dark stain, a colored stain (they do exist!), or even paint it! This is where the fun starts! Whichever products you use, be sure you follow the instructions. And I always recommend applying messy products like this with gloves and outside. Once everything drys and you have the look you want…

Step 8 – Hang your quilts! Congrats! You’ve made an awesome quilt ladder that you can display your creations on! Or any blanket for that matter. In my case it filled an awkward corner wall in my house that was too small to put furniture on, and too big to be filled with wall art. It was the perfect solution!

I would love to see how your quilt ladder turned out and what lovelies you are displaying on it! Post a picture of your finished project below and let me know how the process went! Feel free to ask questions if you need any help.

Thanks friends!

quilt ladder title_post

DIY Quilt Ladder – Step by step instructions on how to make your own display for quilts and blankets | SydneyMakesStuff |

Original article and pictures take https://sydneymakesstuff.wordpress.com/2016/02/13/diy-quilt-ladder/#more-95 site


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