Keeping to the low budget aim, I went shopping for material for curtains. I needed one for each sliding door and one to run across the van at the level of the front seats (the end of the bed).
First I looked at ready-made curtains, but several things stopped me from buying. First the sizes were all wrong, second the patterns, while very pretty, were completely inappropriate and third, the prices were majestic and majestic is not a budgetary level I would consider.
I looked at material by the metre next and found that to be a much more sensible option. Black material was available that would have cost about £15.00 in total, but something nagged me about that. Then I remembered seeing sheets on sale in Tescos for about six pounds each. I realised that two single sheets would be enough to do the whole job, so I could save myself three pounds!
Then I went into Poundstretcher and found a pair of black sheets for £8.00, which was even better.
I have trimmed and sewn the three sheets using the sewing machine I inherited from my grandma, I then threaded them onto net curtain rods and hung them in the van. The curtain across the van is hung on hooks that attach to the van with magnets - this means that I can move that curtain behind the back seats when they are folded up, maintaining security of the rear load space. The other two curtains are hung on self-adhesive hooks.
I may need to make some adjustments as they are a little gappy where they meet, but I should be able to sort this out with some clips - or perhaps velcro.
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As with the rest of the 'build', the curtains could most definitely be better, but they are the best I could do and they most definitely do the job I need them to do, so I am, for now, happy with them. Having said that, now I have them up I would like to add some velcro or magnets to them to keep them together and to hold them to the sides of the van. I would also like to take the left curtain off the inside of the van and attach it to the metal of the sliding door itself - again with magnets or velcro - so the curtain is out of the way when that door is opened.
I am learning as I am going along, which is great fun, and again invite suggestions and advice, either as a comment or by email to myredvan@outlook.com.
