A FEW NEW LOOKS

I've started the process of re-making the drapes in the Airstream and I did a revamp of the actual blog website if you haven't been there in a while check it out:

http://airstreamn.blogspot.com
( ... it has a whole new look)

The Airstream is eight years old now and a few interior items are starting to show their age. Like the drapes, blinds & dinette cushions. Plus the drapes never had the proper width from the factory to begin with & the elastics have stretched (age & FL heat) as you can see in the picture above ... so one thing at a time. Last year I decided to get a quote to have someone else make the drapes. Keep in mind the Airstream has only two draped windows ... the small rear bedroom (2 panels) and the front panoramic window (4 panels). I knew I could make them myself but how much could it cost for two windows? The quote came back at $499 and with the material selection from this company being very slim & dated I decided I can so make these myself. All the rest of the windows have pull down shades that are starting to wear as well. But I will change those out with another plan later.

My plan was to complete the rear bedroom drape first. But I had to find the right material. I didn't want a material with a sheen or with a heavy texture or any print. Just a solid color. With the bed having a bright orange poppy flower my choices were few. The local fabric store had nothing that would work so I found a drape panel I liked from another store, bought two yards of blackout drape backing and the sewing notions I needed and I now have the final drapes installed. I made each panel one inch wider giving me two total inches more in the width than the originals AND thanks to my lovely ladies out in Oregon (Mona, Susan, Kimberly & Cary) I went with magnet closures instead of velcro. I love them ... both the drapes & the ladies.

I did this project on my domestic sewing machine not my industrial one. But with all the issues I had with the old domestic sewing machine in doing this project ... I think I will get a new one prior to tackling the front Airstream drapes. My final material cost for just the rear window came to $32.48. Keep in mind this was done with coupons and I hope to be able to complete the front four panels (thinking about a print material) for under $100 ... bringing my grand total for both draped windows to just under $150. With the new dark chocolate fabric and the blackout drape material it makes a big difference in the amount of light coming into the bedroom of the Airstream. The look is definitely different. Going from a dingy off white to the drastically dark material was a big change but the final product is better than the original. We will be testing these out very soon ... a trip is on the horizon. I can smell the fresh salt water, feel the ocean breeze and see many gorgeous sunsets in the very near future!