Homemade seat covers

moments_of_sanity

I hope I have put this in the right section, if not sincere apologies.

We have recently been lucky enough to buy a caravan so that we can all go away, however, my husband has now been made redundant from work (today was his last day). We were planning to replace the seats with new seat covers as we have two dogs and my dad will also be using it with his dog as well but due to circumstances changing we are no longer able to spend a relatively large amount (£500+) on getting new ones so I have decided to make some myself.

Now, I do have a sewing machine but am not the best at using it and have been looking for material so that I can make some myself but it all seems to be really expensive. I know you all have fantastic ideas on here for money saving so wondered if anyone has any ideas on what we can use to make the seat covers and make them as cheaply as possible.

(ps, I can't knit or crochet either - what a useless wife am I)

SailorSam

What about trying to get curtains from a charity shop ?

faerie~spangles

Get fabric from charity shops.

Make some 'pillowslip' type covers. Easy to remove, launder and no stressing about the dogs.

maman

faerie~spangles wrote: »

Get fabric from charity shops.

Make some 'pillowslip' type covers. Easy to remove, launder and no stressing about the dogs.

That's a brilliant idea. I've done the same with the long cushions on our sunloungers when the existing fabric had become 'ripe' from exposure to the sun.

Maybe before you try in CS maybe you (or your dad) have some old curtains of your own or even old sheets/duvet covers?

moments_of_sanity

Thank you for all the great ideas. Our CS's aren't great here but will go and have a look tomorrow and see what I can find.

:beer:

hilstep2000

I always look for curtains if I need a lot of fabric. Slip cushions are easy, just envelopes really!

hermum

Take a look on ebay, there are lots of bargains for unpholstery fabric. A couple of months ago I bought a load of ticking, I think it was 15 metres with postage it cost around £25.

lizzyb1812

As a short term measure use duvet covers - slip the cushions in and tuck the surplus fabric under. Easy to put on and take off, easy to wash. Use pillow cases for the smaller cushions. Or use cheap fleece throws either just tucked in or sewn into an appropriately sized "bag" - they're a bit stretchy so can be made to fit quite tautly. The long bench cushions should also fit inside a sleeping bag - again easy to remove and wash.

DundeeDoll

Not as cheap as the excellent suggestions here croftmill for new is good (and his descriptions always amusing). Eg £5 per metre 60 " blue flame-retardant drill. He also does free samples

[Deleted User]

My youngest was given a single quilted matrees cover which was of no use to her as her four boys have bunk beds.I unpicked the frill surrounding it, and my eldest DD came for the day on Thursday bringing her staple gun from work.She cut the quilting to fit and stapled it all around the edge and lined an old wooden tox box that I have had for years from when her and her sister were little (now 45 &43) and its great as I can use it for storing my wool in I believe Dunelm do staple guns for about a tenner if you can't borrow one.My DD did a brilliant job and believe me she really can't sew a button on and has no 'craft' skills whatsoever. I think that little staple gun will have so many uses that I am going to invest in one myself.As for loose covers I too would suggest the CS for old curtains or ask anyone you know Most folk have old curtains sitting in their airing cupboards that they can't bring themselves to bin.I know I have:)and just make pillowcase type covers they would be great and if you wanted to make them a bit more secure at the opening then just a couple of press studs like you get on duvet covers should hold them into place Sorry to hear about your husbands redundancy but having the caravan should help to focus his mind on something to do inbetween searching for work.My brother years ago was in a similar position and had an old VW van that he converted by putting in shelf type beds for the kids and they all had sleeping bags to sleep in and he fixed up some cupboards and a little camping stove .He and his then wife were very broke for awhile so everything they did had to be hande made by him.Necessity is a marvelous mother of invention.Good luck to you all

Justamum

DundeeDoll wrote: »

Not as cheap as the excellent suggestions here croftmill for new is good (and his descriptions always amusing). Eg £5 per metre 60 " blue flame-retardant drill. He also does free samples

I used to get the Croft Mill brochure - mainly for the amusing comments. I thought he'd retired though? I might just have to subscribe again. I have bought from them in the past, but their postage rates to us went up a ridiculous amount - anyone would think we lived on the other side of the planet