I think you are talking about a design wall. They can be purchased or you can make your own using flannel or felt. Some hang a flannel backed table cloth on the wall with the flannel side out. I have made a portable design wall that can be folded for storage. Hope this helps!
Linda OH

Here is a link that might be useful: Design Wall

It is called a design wall and you can buy one or make one. You can use batting or felt. If you search the internet for "quilting design wall" you will come up with a ton of different ways to make or buy, depending on your needs and space.

I copied one link below, but there are a ton of other variations of design walls. LindaOH from this forum has posted directions on her blog for her version of a portable design wall. Just search this forum from design wall to get that link.

Hope this helps - design walls are fantastic!

Here is a link that might be useful: how to make a design wall from Oh, Fransson!

I really appreciate this topic. I had a foam insulation design board permanently adhered to the wall in my other home. Now I need a portable substitute since I'm sewing in a slant ceiling upstairs room.

As ever, this forum is full of good information!
LindaB/CA

Thank you all for the great ideas. I am off shopping tomorrow to make my own. Whenever I need just a little out of the norm you experts are always here with the answer. What a wonderful group of ladies..........

I made mine from interlocking foam mats that I found at Lowe's Home Improvements in the rug section. I think nine or twelve mats come in the pkg. they come in primary colors. Which was fine with me cause I use to teach kindergarten. It's light enough I used small nails to attach to the wall. It's great. Just the right size for displaying squares and baby quilt.
Darlene

I have a portable one I made, too. I used the blue board insulation,and cut it to the size I wanted. I did two panels and taped them together with duck tape so it would fold in half for storage. Then I pinned a felt lined table cloth (felt size out). Works great!! And I can fold it up and put it behind a door or something if I need to "hide" it.

Robbi

One more thing, the board I found was damaged (corner broken) and since I was going to cut it down, I didn't care, so they gave me a big discount on the price.

Robbi

I use a large vinyl tablecloth that I bought at Goodwill for $1.79. The backing is kind of a fuzzy felty stuff that's perfect for sticking blocks on to.

I added a couple grommets along one long edge. The grommets slip over nails I pounded in across the top of a big closet door frame. Easy to remove and toss in the closet when I'm not using it and the nails are small enough so they aren't noticeable.

Kate