CRAFTY POST - My revolting conservatory-camping-store-room, really needed a makeover....

Finished!

 So I get asked, where do I store all my camping kit?

The answer is everywhere...attic...shed...trailor....campervan...but by far the worst area...is what can only be vaguely described now as a 'once conservatory'

This disgusting storage set up is where I stack all the canvas tents and awnings. Horrific isn't it (turn away you domestic goddesses)

So even I know its in dire need of a tidy up.

With two weeks off work, and impending grandchild due, I couldn't actually go anywhere camping. So I took on 'Mount Shithole'.  What an amazing idea to take on this room, in the middle of the only heatwave I can remember us having, in the last 25 years

I still needed to store my beloved tents, but just not so visually.  I still also wanted the option to make up a spare bed in there, as under all that garbage is actually a bed sofa

At christmas I half tidy up, and this is my Harry Potter bedroom under the stair cupboard

Sourcing and pricing the foam (extortionate) was the first task.  I finally managed to find euro pallet size foam pieces, and based the storage on this size.  Found some fabric, and I started clearing it out.

I found the easiest way to clear it out, was just to move it all into the nearest room (the lounge)

Woodwork commenced, and the first of the five seating units were made.  Each has lift off slats on the top, for comfort, access, and airing.

Is it finished?

Seems comfy enough. Is it finished

 Plenty of wax, stencilling, liming wax, then the daunting task of making removable covers, wiped out days of my life, but finally they were all done.  I didnt like the squareness of the foam with just the fabric on, so bought some 270g wadding, and wrapped this around the foam, before making the covers

To get the wadding to stick to the foam, and put the cover on, I just used the last of the spray glue I had for fixing the carpet line in the camper




Next came the fun bit...titivating and making shite to go in there.  Whilst waiting for baby elephant's arrival who had been stuck in my daughter for what seemed like 18 months now, I had a lot of time to crochet, and learn some macrame.  So after another 8 overdue days, i had macramed pretty much everything, and run out of wool on the crochet

The Lights got macrame...







The Plants got macrame




 The candle holder got macrame...

Until I ran out of things to macrame





Eventually the crochet throw was also finished (first c2c I have ever done)  The centre triangle was from a throw called South Western afghan.  The original had lots of triangles. As a beginner I found one hard enough, without tangling my feet into it permanently

The grotty old sale lantern got a bit of treatment (sprayed gold, and a few test pots later), and it passed for a new battered looking lantern

More messing around, as the dimensions of the room, meant I couldn't find anything remotely suitable for tables.  Not having the master skills of a craftsman, I bodged together some very 'rustic' tables

Coffee Sack Blinds

Possibly the most soul destroying part of the process was making the coffee sack blinds...not a problem making 1, but never ending when there are 11 of them.

Needless to say they aren't to be subjected to any scrutinising on my needlework, but they came out ok

As a few asked how I made these, this was the basic process:

Materials required

Coffee Sacks

Calico Backing
Cotton Washing Line for ties
1" Dowel rod

Source and find coffee sacks (mine were an ebay job lot, and I got for £12 for 14 of them)  Generally they will cost about £3-£4 each.
Unpick the sacks.  The most shittest job of the process.  Some will work cunningly, and come apart at the seams, when you pull the threads in order.

Some don't. Some are cleverly crafted by a skilled brain surgeon, never to come apart unless painstakingly snipped on every stitch

Cut and measure the calico to the same size as the sacks (mine was 140 wide, so I got two blinds at 70cm wide from the fabric)

They measure up at about 2m deep

Sew the sides and bottom on the sack and calico

Turn right side out

Measure the bottom distance (mine was about 65cm, but the sacks do vary slightly), and cut the dowel this length

Just drop the dowel in and shake to the bottom of the sack, until it lies at the bottom

Cut two lengths of the cotton washing line (or cotton binding) to make the ties - I made my 3m long, so 1.5m falls either side of the blind

Fold the washing line in half, and pin about 6 inch from either end of the top seam.  Keeping the long ends on the outside, tuck the seam in neatly, and sew along the top, trapping the two loops at the top of the washing line.

I then just folded over the top, and made sewed a channel all along - the cords will all be at the back of the blind, you just throw one side of the cord over to the front

Slip a curtain rod, or pole through the channel, and its done!

Voila!!!

Next was to actually stack all the camping stuff into the storage, plenty of room thankfully!

Next was to try out the bed option

The end seating panel was just placed between the 2 middle ones...

And I had a huge comfy 2.4m x 2.4m bed (apart form the small cut outs triangles)

Event with Tarq in it, there is a stupid amount of room

Four days later, I have slept on the bed twice. Put it away back to seating after the weekend, and crashed on the benching as it was for the next two nights...I really need to move into the rest of the house... 

And yes.....the grandson finally arrived!

Meet Leo