Maple Quilt Rack and Shelf

My wife requested a Quilt Rack for our son’s room, and this is the result. In designing this, I considered the following:
1. I wanted it to look nice with Maple shelves I had previously made for his room.
2. It needed to be large enough to accomodate a 51” wide quilt.
3. I wanted it attach firmly to the wall, just in case someone tries to hang from it.
4. I wanted to build and install it quickly.
5. I wanted to use wood I that was already hanging around the shop.

I decided to used 1/2” and 5/8” Maple. Fortunately, I have built a number of projects from Maple in the last few years, and I have a good selection of scraps and extra pieces of Maple. To attach it to the wall, I decided to use a French cleat that spans most of the width of the shelf. For quick construction, I used pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Overall, the shelf is about 54” wide, 6” deep, and 12” tall. The bar that the quilt hangs from slides out so the quilt can be easily taken down. Using a French cleat makes hanging the shelf a breeze. The cleat is screwed to 3 wall studs so the shelf is solidly attached to the wall. In all, it took me about 5 hours to complete this project. My wife was extremely happy with it because I completed it quickly and included a shelf (she only requested a place to hang the quilt). Personally, I think the aesthetic of the piece lacks something, but I am glad my wife likes it.

-- Daniel, Southern Indiana -- "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." -- http://blackdogwoodshop.etsy.com