A simple sewing request from hubby... |
It was entirely his decision — yes, he does that sometimes — and his
explanation was that he had always wanted one. And because we had sold our
vacation home and various other assets along with it, it was a minor "trade"
all in all, on a monetary level. Which is true; he picked up the unit for
almost pennies and it was in very good condition for its age. The engine has
relatively low mileage, so it won't be an issue to have it be drivable for
years to come.
That said, he has spent the past few months tearing most of it apart (to
improve and beautify), in the process spending much, much more than the
"almost pennies" that he originally paid for the whole thing.
I have refrained from taking too much of an interest in this project, but that
hasn't stopped him from asking for my help. The first request had to do with
replacing the curtains. You've seen the old curtains already: I recycled some
of it into my
Christmas table topper project.
Two types of recycling... |
The yellow and white fabric shown here is both sides of a duvet cover that was
hubby's when he was single. In reality, I'm not sure why it's been kept all
these years (as in, it should have been donated long ago) but when I brought
it out to show him, he immediately thought that it would be the perfect colour
scheme to brighten up the motorhome's interior. (It was also turned into a
Spoonflower surface design; we actually ordered a small bolt of
wallpaper
— when it went on sale at 30% off — to highlight the upper bunk area.)
It's always a win to take on a sewing project that involves reusing material. Not only did I know for a fact that I'd find a use for the fabric from the curtains that were being taken down, knowing that a thirty-some year old duvet cover would find a second life was equally satisfying.
I eventually added some SF101 to the fabric, however, since it seemed
somewhat thin. But it's not like I'm actively holding onto my bolts of
interfacing for some future purpose, so it was an acceptable use of my
sewing supplies.
First step was to measure the existing curtains... |
The first thing one needs for a project like this is
measurements.
As I took down the curtains, I pinned labels onto them to ensure that
there would be no mix-up of what belonged where. There are six windows,
but curtain-wise, there are a total of seven separate "pieces".
The odd thing about the old curtains is that they weren't sewn at
all. Whoever made them — whether they came with the motorhome or if the
previous owners did a DIY — glued or seam taped all of the hems. Not for
me to ask why that was the case, but they sure were easy to take apart. No
need for a seam ripper is a nice change of pace.
Important to label both old and new to ensure that no mix-ups occur... |
For most projects, it's helpful to draw up a cutting layout for the various pieces required. Whether using recycled fabric or not, this extra step allows one to plan and cut with as little waste as possible.
The duvet piece was 80" by 76". The widest curtain piece was 81",
not including seam allowances. It was, however, just a valance; a
missing inch or two only means that it won't be as "ruffled" as the
original. That's the thing about curtains, they can be quite forgiving in
that sense. (I didn't have to compromise on any other section.)
In terms of overall length, the pieces all added up to 75"; the 76" that I had was just enough to accommodate. (An approximate 30" x 35" remnant remained at the end.)
In terms of overall length, the pieces all added up to 75"; the 76" that I had was just enough to accommodate. (An approximate 30" x 35" remnant remained at the end.)
Once the fabric is cut (and interfaced), the next step is to pin and then press the seam allowances to match the original curtains.
I had three styles of curtains at play here. The dinette and kitchen windows
were topped with short valences only, the rear and front bunk windows had
top
and bottom rods holding the curtains in place (because the walls are
angled there), and the two side bunk windows have a basic single panel
curtain.
All straight line sewing... |
When you have originals to work from, the job is so much easier. You
don't need to keep measuring; it's just as easy to put the new on top of the
old and do a physical comparison.
Apart from the ever-present challenge of sewing something that's so long —
for which I promised tips per the title of today's post — there was
another small challenge with this fabric that's worth noting: the stripes.
On the duvet cover, they ran horizontally. For curtains, I definitely
wanted them to be vertical.
The switch meant that the horizontal seams of these curtains — the top and
bottom of them, as it were — would be sewn on the lengthwise grain; i.e.,
the one that runs parallel to the original selvage. (Note that the reverse
is usually the case when sewing curtains; the lengthwise grain runs up and
down rather than from side to side.)
This is the really long/wide (71") panel from the overhead bunk... |
The funny part is that I didn't pay attention to grain line when I fused on
the SF101, which is a woven interfacing and should normally match
with the grain of the fabric to which it's being applied. I mostly applied
it against the grain.
Curtain panels at back cinched with matching ties... |
Which is why employing a couple of sewing techniques is helpful in this
situation. One is to
use a stiletto
to "help" the fabric along as you sew; I covered this a few weeks ago. The
other is to press well,
pin well, and then sew from the middle out towards the ends. This trick reduces the
distance that you end up sewing in one go, minimizing the risk that
the top and bottom layers won't match up at the end.
Trying to stay as straight and "true" as possible... |
All of these curtain pieces have a rod pocket, so the side seams had to be
sewn first. I suspect that had I then sewn the dinette valence — the one
that's 80" wide — from left edge to right edge, the seam at the end wouldn't
have turned out as even as in the picture above.
Actually, after I completed the sewing, it occurred to me that perhaps the
original curtains' creator used hem tape because it was easier to keep the
seams straight that way. It's sort of like basting first, which is the third tip I'd offer about sewing long pieces to ensure
success.
By the way, it was while sewing up this project that I reminded myself
that I needed to work on DIY-ing an
extension table, because another tip for sewing large pieces is to have a
level surface to sew on.
Curtain along top bunk (before application of wallpaper)... |
It is going to be interesting in the coming weeks to see hubby's plans for
this thing unfold. I have no issues with him taking it out and going
fishing/camping wherever he fancies, but I don't see myself accompanying him
on these adventures. I have never been a camping enthusiast and this setup
does not — in my opinion — take it up a notch. When I explained my aversion to
the small space, he said, well, you'll mostly be outside.
I'll mostly be outside?
Thanks, but I'll mostly be outside in our back yard. With access to full size
bed and (dry) bath in the house. Who's with me on that?
My dh will join you in the backyard...as for me....I love the basics of camping...just meeting the very basic needs - no frills attached. But only for a month or so...then I love to go home to all my creature-comforts😁👍
ReplyDeleteLove the curtains...it really is beautiful! Can't believe the fabric is 30 yrs old!🏆👌👌
ReplyDeleteYes, the old duvet cover has stayed quite vibrant over the past three decades. (Good thing I have remnants or hubby might be reluctant to give them up when he sells the unit.)
DeleteAs for actually camping in this thing, he's found out that it's not that easy to book a space these days. He might end up in our front yard (i.e., driveway). ◔ ⌣ ◔
😁Front yard is good too…one can use your own ablutions in the house😂
DeleteAnd I could charge him a camping fee!
DeleteI don't mind camping occasionally, but this conversation sure made me smile
DeleteHa, ha, ha... always good to have some fun in the comments section!
DeleteThe month after I retired, I bought a casita travel trailer, full bed size, with kitchen, bathroom, heat and ac… and piles of fabric to sew new everything! Before this I had a pop-up camper, which I loved except for all the work piping it up! I love my little house camping! Marie
ReplyDeleteWhich all makes sense, since you chose it. Given that I didn't choose this and have never been a camper gal, I'm sure you can understand why I would feel differently.
DeleteBut you go, girl!