Here's another option for sewing curtains that I did: 

I sewed panels of fabric right onto the curtains - the double layer protected the newer lighter fabric from sunshine, as well as the second layer made the curtains almost completely "black-out", meaning if the lights are on in the van and you're parked in town, then it was possible that no one would think you were in the van. 

If I had wanted total black out, then it would have been better to sew a bit more fabric along the top of the curtains (almost like a ruffle) so as to not have any light showing from outside. I didn't worry about this. 

Sewing the panels right on the fabric was extremely easy, in fact, I didn't even take the curtains off, deciding instead that I could do a hand-stitch just as quickly (more or less) and it afforded me the opportunity to do it while on a trip rather than as a home project. (btw, you can take your own fabric off the curtains for later resale value if that's an issue). 

Even if I had taken the curtains off to machine-sew panels of fabric onto the existing fabric, I might still have only sewn within the panel, just for the ease of not having to worry about a/ durability of the fabric to hold up from tugging the curtains open and closed, b/ having to sew in something for the rod to loop through (for the back of the van) or having to re-sew in the plastic (or other) hooks. 

So I did it easy peasy. I am not a seamstress, but I like how they came out and get compliments all the time. And it was cheap. And I could pick any fabric type or color that I wanted, with no regard to UV, blackout, or ease of sewing (though stretchy fabrics are more difficult).

I think maybe the sewing within the panel bit might be a bit unclear. Let me try to explain (sorry, I'm pre-caffeine right now): 

So instead of sewing the entire curtain, including creating the parts of the curtain that have either hooks or a "tunnel" for the rod to pass through, I left all that very much alone. I just sewed my fabric in the center, in the actual panel, so all I had to do was sew a big square (or rectangle) onto each. I'm not sure that helps. Feel free to ask, if interested. 

s.

On Aug 17, 2010, at 5:28 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:

> Jonce's post about his super-cute vintage-look awnings got me thinking
> that I'd love to replace these aftermarket muke-brown curtains in Mellow
> Yellow with something bright and cheerful.
> 
> Something with cows and chickens, daisies, romping puppies, or
> polka-dots on them? Sunbrella not required nor desired, it's a creepy
> fabric -- how many houses have Sunbrella curtains in them?
> 
> Yes, I know there are patterns on the wiki, but I don't pump my own
> gas*, I don't do my own taxes, I don't make my own wine (nor should you
> unless you really know what you're doing).
> 
> =====
> *Oregon. Illegal to pump one's own gas, please, please don't hijack the
> thread to talk about this, start your own darn thread.
> 
> --
> Rocky J Squirrel
> '84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> '74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR

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