26 April 2009

Camper Van Feedback

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Whenever I get the idea for a new design, it will stay in my head for a while before I feel confident enough to know how I'm going to make it.
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I'll make it in my mind's eye for a long time before actually cutting into any fabric and getting it made.
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I have wanted to make a personalised camper-van doorstop now for about
- oooh - three years and it's always been there in the back of my head, getting made and re-made (usually at 3am)
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So yesterday I decided to finally sit down and get it made.
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I started with this ...
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(note how I use the actual fabric, none of this trying it out on scrap fabric!)
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At least now I had something in my hands that gave me an idea of what was wrong and what was right.
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I then drew up a template on the computer ...
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And after a LOT of pinning and adjusting, this is the end result
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Mr Jelly thinks it's too tall - he thinks the curve of the 'v' should come down to the bumper - he's probably right, but that means I've got to make another one to photograph for the website.
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And after I'd added the rice, it was a bit saggy in the middle and bulged outwards (insert your own joke here) even though I've used firm interfacing ... so I gave it some internal scaffolding to hold it in the middle, but I'm not sure I like that either.
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So here's where you come in - do you have any suggestions, and also, I'd like an idea of what you'd be willing to pay for it as it was fairly labour intensive.

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13 comments:

Jo said...

mmm, could you use interfacing or cardboard, or use dried peas instead of rice?
prices - £15 - £30 ??
Josie x

menopausalmusing said...

First time leaving a comment on your blog. I looked ages ago for VW Camper Van "stuff".... very hard to source, so there IS a market out there. I hope its alright to say that I agree with your hubby that I think it is a wee bit on the tall side. Don't quite know how you would get over the bulge problem. Is it the softness of the fabric? Could you possibly reinforce it with something like a really heavy duty iron-on interfacing. I would happily pay up to £25 for it. It has real promise. x

Kitty said...

I think it's gorgeous and that you are very, very clever. I can totally relate to the 'made in your mind' bit - I do the same, all the time. Sometimes make a sketch or two. Think about fabrics. Then go for it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Yours did.

I have no idea re: price. How much do doorsteps cost?

x

April said...

that is so cute!

I really like the fact that it looks squashy

April xx

menopausalmusing said...

OOOps! Old scatterbrain here obviously was too busy looking at the lovely piccy of the camper van to read properly that you had already tried a stiff interfacing..... Sorry :O( have been reading your blog and love it. Love those button necklaces and also your sense of humour. x

Kathi D said...

OMG I think it's fab! As for pricing, I think it's worth more, but probably in the $20 range would be what I would expect to pay for it.

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Just brilliant - such a fun design!

madmummy said...

Do you just use rice to stuff? When I make them, I use half rice then stuff with fluffy cushion innards (what's that stuff called?)!!
xxx Steph
looks fab btw!!

Unknown said...

i love it. It does look a bit tall though.. but here it would fetch any where from 35-60 dollars.. NOT saying the us dollar is worth much.. but..

LoloDesigns said...

ooh groovy idea, love it. Looked at that cake site you mentioned, unbelievable creations, put's my cupcakes to shame ;o)

Lori R said...

Okay, just thinking out loud here and I don't even know if it would work--but what if instead of lining it with cardboard, you made a complete box-shaped cardboard insert that was filled with your heavy stuff (rice, peas, sand, what-have-you). Then your van would basically be a pillow cover. If it isn't squishy enough you could wrap the insert with quilt batting.

Then maybe you could make it with a zipper so you could take it off and wash it occasionally since it's a doorstop and might get dirty sitting on the floor. And, if it had a zipper, you could sell it sans rice, peas, what-have-you, to cut down on weight and shipping cost. The customer could add her own weights.

I don't know what would be reasonable to charge, but I would buy a pdf pattern if you offered one in your shop!

Congratulations on the magazine article!

French Nanny said...

It's a great idea. I would say 15 to 20 pounds is about right.

On the minus side (sorry) isn't there a little something wrong with the wheels? Our camper had the front doors over the front wheels. Yours looks like a bit as if it has 6 wheels.

I doo like the idea of making it as a washable cover - then maybe you could use a brick for the filling?

Tip Top said...

Squashy is good! The only thing I'd change (if you were me and all that) would be make the windows a little paler they seem to jump out a little!

But lookin very good!!!