We returned from our annual DV winter trip determined to replace the stock FWC curtains. We also had a few ideas about improving the settee.
First stop was the local fabric store; Ben Franklin. I think they are part of a chain. We
wanderedI the remnants looking for a heavy, upholstery grade fabric to help insulate the single pane, aluminum frame windows that FWC installs in their rigs. Reminds me of the state of construction standard from thirty years ago, when I installed hundreds of
cold aluminum frame windows with single panes.
We lucked out and found 2 1/3 yds of material in earth tones with a pleasing print. We bought a large spool of poly blend, heavy grade thread. Total bill was just shy of $22 bucks! I think we're still running with the $25 budget for
Low Cost Mods.
SR got busy with her restored Singer Featherweight I gave her a few years ago. She reused the guide strip for the OEM curtains with nylon dogs that glide in the aluminum tracks mounted over each fenestration. They look so much better than the white curtains from FWC, which were cheaper grade fabric and already dirty on our six year old camper.
The big win for us was to design a back support that would pad the front window. We have a swing around table and will both sit with our backs to the front of the camper. I've already extended the settee seat top by replacing the OEM seat with an extra piece of 5 ply birch plywood.
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SR sewed a pocket into the fabric just large enough for a standard 48" x 21" thermarest (extra points for using materials already in your garage
) I used $5 package of screw-attached snap closures. Oh noes! I'm now up to $27 bucks!!!
The snaps are mounted in the top of the fabric, allowing quick install of the padded seat back, or removal. We figure we can open the thermorest valve and deflate the pad to stow it in the gap between the cabinet and the front of the camper.
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Looking nice and comfy!