Warm Windows Drapery Fabric?

[Mental72]

Has anyone sewn or used the Warm Window fabric? I remember a family member made me some shades with it and they worked very well. I need to get down to the fabric store and pick some up, but was wondering if anyone here had worked with it, and how much it ran them.

Thanks!

[Oz]

I just did a quick search on insulated RV drape fabric.  There's quite a bit out there.  My wife made some of her own, using regular stuff she got at WalMart and Joanne's Fabric Store.  The interior of it was a sandwich using a fibrous matting which creates an air barrier.  The window wide was a white, semi-reflective material.  They made a world of difference!

Here's the search I did just for ideas and such but I'll let the sewing pros fill in the blanks.  Curtains are my favorite topic, BTW   

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AlrX1XNAwqG1LNU.loV4dS2bvZx4?fr=yfp-t-290-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=rv%20insulated%20drapery%20fabric

[Froggy1936]

Oh O , You better not let Mark hear you talking about curt.........., Opps wait what ? ?Oh well scuse me ! Frank

[Mental72]

Thanks! I have a Jo Ann's Fabric in town too that I need to get down to anyway. I love the gals that work there. First time I went in they kind of gave me the eye, but after talking for a bit they warmed up to me. Guess they don't get to see too many big bald guys come into their store for fabric!!! I've been wanting to make some curtiains for the beast forever, it's a class A so it's got the big front window and has windows just about all the way around it, except for where the bathroom and kitchen is. I'm not a big fan of light and really like my privacy, and I'm planning on living in the RV full time, and I can just about imagine how much heat is lost through all those windows. I read somewhere at a single pane window has a R Value of about 1, and using the warm windows liners you can go up to 7 or so.  I grew up in a drafty old farmhouse and Grandma made window quilts for all the windows, with velcro at the edges. When the wind blew you could see the quilts move, holding back the drafts. I 'm leaning towards magnetic strips to hold the edges down.

[Oz]

Magnetic strips or sewn in magnetic  "dots" along the edges will help a lot with the drafts.  They're just as bad as the heat from the sun blaring through the single pane glass, no doubt.  I think you'll have fun with the project!

[Mental72]

Oh yes, I haven't sewn in a while and miss doing it. My Grandma taught me how to sew many, many moons ago. I love sewing just as much as welding or doing bodywork, ect. I just read someone put sheets of bubble wrap into their curtains for more insulation. Sounds like a good idea, but I'd pop the bubbles and get nothing else from it.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

We used thermal curtains from Walmart.  Good selection and inexpensive...and they work and look great.

Kev

[M & J]

Janie used $1 a package Walmart clearance thermal curtains to make ours. Had to drive to 3 Walmarts to find enough though.

[Mental72]

I'm in love with some Wal-Mart clearance items!!!! I looked at the Wal Mart website and wondered about just getting those. Now I'll definately have to go down the road and check out what they have!

[McAttack]

Thank you for this thread. Any ideas if one doesnt sew but needs window coverings for their rv?

[Wbago]

find a friend who sews, or learn now, you wont regret it.. .

my mom taught me sewing, and a bit of embroidery too, when i was young .. . as soon as i got a bit older, i dropped it as 'girlie' and never thought about it again, till i was maybe 30, at which point i got a machine to make a bench cover, and then found that the fingers still knew how!! ... shes gone 4 yrs now, but im using her old machine that i bought her 30 yrs ago, how things go round

just done new dinette seats, curtains, pelmets, and captain seat covers for mine, nearly done, the seats alone were quoted at £240 in a shop, material cost me about 70 for the good stuff

[Lefty]

I have thought about learning to sew, I'd at least like to learn a few basics, and eventually be able to do minor auto upholstery work. It's a skill that I've often needed in the past, but is very expensive to have done. Plus, I'm extremely OCD... if an upholstery shop doesn't get the seams or patterns lined up just right it drives me bananas!! If I was doing it myself, I could do it the way I wanted. lol

[Oz]

Thank you for this thread. Any ideas if one doesnt sew but needs window coverings for their rv?

If sewing isn't an option, it could be hard to find matching window treatments for the entire RV.  Get your measurements together.  Give Sands RV a call.  They're in Ohio.  Some of our members frequent the "candy store" of RV parts each year...  Like a pilgramage.  See what they have.  They're very reasonably priced and the best to work with.  http://www.sandsrv.com/

[M & J]

Visone RV in south-central Kentucky is another option. I've visited and purchased from there and so has at least one other member from the forum.

http://rvparts.visonerv.com/

[Stripe]

Both of my Moms taught me how to sew.  I used that skill for making costumes, repairing torn clothing (we barely had two pennies to rub together for new clothes) or making other stuff..

Here is what you should do, get a sewing machine from a thrift shop or Craigs list and some scrap fabric with which to practice on.
Then when you have time, watch some vids such as this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmaZBTMzkoY
There are plenty available to watch. Also, read the manual for the sewing machine you get. If it didn't come with one, Google the model number and I am sure you will find it online, otherwise, if you take photos and post it I can tell you how to do it..

[tntwardell]

My wife made insulated  curtins for the rv. She used moving blankets from harbor freight with different color frabic on each side so she can just flip them around for a different look. Thay work well against both heat on cold and no light gets in.

[Mental72]

you guys rock, all of you. Thanks for all the great input and ideas! I'll definately look into the Harbor Freight moving blankets. I have a WalMart not to far, I should just ride my lil scooter over and see what they have.

Lefty, get yourself an older sewing machine, they're cheap enough and the older ones are built like tanks!

I love sewing, to me it's akin to welding or building a house. Just start out with a simple straight stitch, then go from there. Best of luck and let me know if you need any help getting started, should start a he man sewing club!

[Alaskan Itasca]

I'm learning how to sew, I bought a machine, and have taken 3 lessons now on sewing. I need to make new blackout curtains for the front and I want to redo all the cusions in viynl since I have children....The curtains should be fairly easy, I have the originals to template from. Cusions look a bit harder, I need to learn how to make those corners....

For the back I just got celluar cordlees blackout shades at lowes, they insulate and block the light (which is a problem until August when it starts to get dark again). They have a foil layer in them to make them light proof, They are very good at blocking campground wifi as well.

I got the black vent covers too to help block the light from the vents....

[Stripe]

Sweet n Groovy!

[pvoth1111]

like meatloaf?

[M & J]

No, that was Gravy.

[Wbago]

Corners - sew to the point you need to turn, then stop machine with the needle deep in the fabric, lift the foot, then turn the fabric using the needle as the axis ... lower foot, continue ...

oh, and when you pin a length before you stitch, be sure those pins are pointing away as you so, or you'll stab yourself lots as your'e feeding the fabric in lol