Like a build thread but for sewing - a bit girly like....sorry

Headlining on a budget
Old headlining - fabric, professionally made at some point in bus's life
New headlining copied from yellow one 3m fabric 54 wide plus interfacing
Bows up

Went in brill in under an hour

Happy enough with that for quick makeover

I like the spots!

Tidy job, looks really smart, well done.

I'll be in here in a few weeks with our new curtains. Not done anything about them yet because I'm going to ask MIL (quilter and general whizz on the machine) for help, but we haven't told anyone we've bought the van yet!

Thinking of this fabric for curtains, cushions and a tablecloth:
http://fabricrehab.co.uk/fabrics/pure-s ... urves-red/

Ha ha everyone apart from us lot on here! Can't miss that beauty on your drive!
First thing I made (ever properly) was curtains for the van on my inherited sewing machine. They're just rectangles and curtain tape...
It's a bit addictive and it's what I can do for the van cos lets face it I know nothing about engines!

Mabel was bought in great nick engine and exterior wise but interior is a bit dated.
Red spotty had to be as it matched whats left of our mahogany varnished (aaargh) Devon interior and door cards. We have her booked in for a top end respray then we will be red white and blue -
Hopefully - very patriotic!
PS love the fabric rehab website! Haven't come across that one before - will explore that later!

Those spots are totally cool, a job well done. Might be a bit trippy though when you're laid on your back staring up at them tho

Why thank you, nice to have some feedback guys!
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea bit is girlies like to decorate like this.
Once I'd got the curtains up it was starting to take the feel of a Gypsy bow top wagon so perhaps I'll be looking out for a crystal ball rather than a disco ball but warm dark and cosy - yes! Lets face it a day out in the fresh air topped off by a couple of generous measure Bombay Saphire and tonic and ZZZz zzzz

Nice job on the headlining

My sewing

I see what you mean, the red polka dot complements the varnish nicely.

What are you going for on the curtains, more of the same? Are you replacing the seat covers and floor too?

We have carpet in the back of Ruby, but it's a bit minging. I'm going to get out there on Saturday and give it a bloody good clean (she's garaged about 15 miles away, so can't just nip out and do quick jobs ) but we are thinking about a new floor. I was looking at chequerboard tiles at DubFreeze, and thinking red and cream. We're looking at the jute mats from MadMatz for the front though, so having the same sort of thing in the back would make sense.

Will - I love the stripes - really fresh and work well with the pale wood.

Our current interior is this:



And you can just see a curtain here:



Which are a bit faded and marked and don't look any better after a wash, although they smell nice!

Fabric Rehab is great, as are http://www.fabricinspirations.co.uk/ and http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome

I could spend a LOT of money at Spoonflower!

Red, white and blue sounds ace - you'll need bunting though to complete the patriotic vintagey look, surely?

Lovely work WILL - I aspire to your talent! Complements the sublime woodwork.... One day...
Getting rid of the mahogany varnish is a dream but I want to use her rather than rip out the insides for a painstaking refurb. So for now I shall embrace...

Custard I think you, like me are secretly glad there is a little bit of housekeeping to be done...We can put our own stamp on it that way.

Mabel has already new mats and flooring which I did last half term
These are the Madmatz red carpet set and they also sell the exact same carpet by the metre which may be of interest to you if you wanted the same right through. It is a little bit darker than 'red, red which I think will match your Roobarb perfectly. I was originally going to go for the jute but I used the carpet to cover the seat boxes replacing the miserable grey.

Check out the retro red parquet beneath the tile - also mahogany
Madmatz aqua and ice white tiles

Oh and as for the bunting...
Of course you got my number
AND cos I can make triangles as well as rectangles...

Here is doggie Isla 'helping' today - We went to check the headlining hadn't fallen down!
I can make you some too in your colours if you're a bunting kind of girl? I'm a dab hand at it now - defo got Roobarb colours and I'll soon find some custard...

Mingy seats have throws on for now but we're booked in for Bromsgrove in July. We budgeted it into the van price as the foam is a bit knackered now aswell. they are doing cargo door cards and all new cushions in blue and white with red beading - I can hardly wait... Booked in in November so I am counting down

"Sewing thread" I see what you did there! Very good!

Loving the headlining, nice to see something different.
I've not long taken up sewing & am really enjoying the feeling of achieving something (I'm no good on the bodywork side of things)
I've just done the curtains & cushions & sun awning for our vintage caravan.

Loving this thread, maybe it can be moved to interiors section for reference?

Love the front interior with the mats - looks really clean and fresh.

The aqua chequerboard is really nice, I can't believe you didn't want to keep the parquet on show though

Thank you for the offer of bunting, I may well take you up on that at some point!

I'm a bit in love with Isla - she's gorgeous.

Also - working on the bus at half term? Are you a fellow teller of lies to small children?

Ambubird wrote:"Sewing thread" I see what you did there! Very good!

Loving the headlining, nice to see something different.
I've not long taken up sewing & am really enjoying the feeling of achieving something (I'm no good on the bodywork side of things)
I've just done the curtains & cushions & sun awning for our vintage caravan.

Loving this thread, maybe it can be moved to interiors section for reference?

Ooh Ambubird we really need to see pictures of your vintage caravan plus handmade accessories....

ESP sun awning as that's on my to do list. I would appreciate some ideas on this one!

RoobarbandCustard wrote:Love the front interior with the mats - looks really clean and fresh.

The aqua chequerboard is really nice, I can't believe you didn't want to keep the parquet on show though

Thank you for the offer of bunting, I may well take you up on that at some point!

I'm a bit in love with Isla - she's gorgeous.

Also - working on the bus at half term? Are you a fellow teller of lies to small children?

Yep - Reception.

You were suspect as well - nice grammar!

SSVC can have their forum back once I'm back at work on Monday anyway...

Don't have time for such frivolities during term time

Raiding my scraps box for Roobarbs and Custard colours - I'll do Ruby some bunting for your wedding present.

Here's a few pictures of our folding caravan. It's called a Portafold & was built in the 60's.
You can just about see my sewing efforts. Not perfect, but I'm pleased with it.
The sun awning has rubber track that slides into a metal track already on the caravan & has some bunting for you bunting enthusiasts!


This is the sitting day area.

At night this converts to a 6 foot by 8 foot bed. Ideal if your dog likes to play gooseberry!


Can't see the curtains very well but they're fully lined & have tiebacks. We also lined the whole van with something called Veltrim which has made it toasty & stopped any condensation forming.