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Having read some great posts on here about recovering and renewing seats and curtains, I'm finally ready to tackle ours. I've ordered the fabric from fusion furnishings on ebay and got a really good deal - 17 metres for £25 plus postage. I'm going to re-use the backing and am making new off white curtains from my previous lounge curtains at home and will make tie-backs and pelmet from the upholstery material and cushions from the curtain material etc. Have an off cut of mink coloured carpet for the front seating area and will lino the rest in wood effect.

The main expense is going to be the cost of replacing the 2 front seats with new foam. Most foam places wanted £130 each cushion but a local upholsterer is going to make them for £69 each- bargain!

All the buttons need replacing too but I'm going to recover them myself as there is 80!

Here's the before pic and a sample of the new upholstery material

  http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb393/Shirley_Atkinson/calicemink.jpg

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb393/Shirley_Atkinson/Caravan0242-1.jpg

hope you go on ok ive got another to do in a few weeks for a friend of mine,ive done her curtains but going to start the seats soon.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh238/amaboverd/caravan019.jpg    

this was my first one.

i bought a 8 inch mattress needle from dunelm ,hope this link works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a-9rQMfgMA&feature=related

amabovered- yours was the inspiration for my makeover. Could say it's all your fault really, but in the best possible way. Have read all your tips from last years thread and saw what beefysmum did too.

Have taken down curtains today and cut new ones. Am not sure if I can face lining them all. The fabric is a heavy jacquard/linen so might just double all the hems over so no raw edges. Do I really need lined curtains ?  Also think I shall replace popper tape as it seems quite brittle. Intending to re-use as much as I can to keep the cost down.

The floor may be another problem as it has the trapdoor for the spare wheel in it. Hoping to carpet just front area between seats and lino the rest-depends if i can cut and shape round the trapdoor

I really enjoyed revamping my little caravan.

Just take your time - I was desperate to get it all done and mad some silly mistakes which I then had to fix!
I kept the covers really simple and made large envelope style ones with velcro fastenings - didn't bother with buttons!
Curtains were nice a straighforward to make.

I just have the ones for my Toyota Hi Ace to make now to replace the ones in there and then I can use it as a campervan!

Look forward to seeing the photos!

thanks all,

I'm definately going to get Skiddaw upholstery in Keswick to do my 80 buttons. Cost will be £21.60 and £2 postage. Cheapest I could find the uncovered buttons was amazon for £25 and still have to cover them all myself. Will get the buttoning thread and needle from them too.

Have just spent £15 on 8 metres of popper tape for the front curtains, new being much more pliable than the old stuff that felt realy brittle.

I have blackout blinds on all windows so am not going to bother lining the new curtains. Will just make the edges really neat.

Will ask the buttons place about the best thread to use. Think the lino right through sounds good with a runner over top. Would be easier around the trap door too. Thats the bit I'm most worried about doing. The sewing and upholstery doesn't bother me.

All your tips are really helpful, thank you