Loose covers for sunbeds?

[Jimbo]

One intractable problem with padded covers for sunbeds is that the fabric soon stains and fades and it's impossible (for us at least) to wash or clean these covers successfully; they soon look grubby and have to be replaced. And, in France, at this point in the season, it's getting pretty hard even to find replacement covers.

The ideal would be loose covers that could be whipped off on changeover, washed and replaced. But where to find such things? What do others do? An internet source would be ideal. Or the coordinates for a toothless granny in a garden shed with a old Singer treadle machine and time on her hands wouldn't be bad.

Thanks for any advice.

Jim

[Circé]

Does she have to be toothless?

[Giddy Goat]

We bought cushions for our sunbeds with removable washable covers Jimbo as toothless grannies with sewing machines are as scarce as hens' teeth!!

However cushions with removable covers cost a bundle; I much prefer plain to patterned ones as well, and as an aside, plain covers show stains much quicker - and not all will wash out completely.

In short, don't know what the answer is. Learn to use a sewing machine (but don't go as far as having teeth pulled.) Pepsipuss might be able to give us a few hints! Stretch towelling sounds a good plan, but probably murder to sew.

I think there's another thread on this somewhere ...

(Later) Here's one and there are probably more lurking:

viewtopic.php?t=11313

[Jimbo]

Thanks, GG, for the link. I missed this thread the first time round, so apologies if I'm recycling old stuff. However, the consensus seems to be that it's a DIY job. Isn't it odd, in a consumer society, with everybody looking for ever more ideas to make money, how some things just get overlooked? Washable and waterproof loose covers for sunbeds would seem to have a huge market (why don't they sell the bloody things with the original beds?) but nobody seems to make them commercially, except as a cottage industry. Time to organise 'Jimbo's Toothless Grannies' into a money-making venture perhaps?

I met up with a sewer yesterday

I laughed at this comment but perhaps it's just me! I've spent many happy hours photographing sewers - the one in Birmingham is a magnificent structure (if a bit stinky!).

Jim

[enid]

We have towelling covers wth Gites de Peyrenegre embroidered on them. They have been fantastic. Cover up the said faded and stained but still perfectly useable cushions atreat. I'll find the name later and take apiccie. I am sure we have talked about them on here before but I am totallybuseless at searching on the forum

[Giddy Goat]

Well I've got cushions and my lovely towelling covers embroidered with 'Peyrenegre Gites' from Loungeabout.

http://www.loungeabout.net/

They look good Enid! Not much in the way of info here apart from an email address but there's a little more on other searches. Hope he's still in business.

[Mouse]

I remember them and did contact them over numbers and prices but I think found them expensive as I'd need 2 sets (one on whilst other being washed).

In the end I went to a boat/awning upholsterer who made me covers over foam matresses. They were expensive but they were made of 'leather look' type material that I literally scrub with bleach each changeover. They're fab!
They then come off and be washed at end of season.

Being of a soft plasticky-type material they're waterproof'ish and so dry quickly if there's a downpour or morning condensation (actually you just wipe them down).

You need a towel to lie on them otherwise they'd be a bit sweaty, but we provide those anyway.

All in all 4 seasons later they're still going strong and I no longer have the frustrations you describe Jimbo.

I could have also had the material they use for outside seating for boats which is breathable. I have that on other seat pads I had made and they're good too as you can sponge them down.

Mousie
x

[Circé]

Blimey, can't any of you sew?
You can pick up towelling by the metre, stretch or not, from e.g. Mondial Tissus shops in France, pas très cher, they also sell thread and the tape to make ties so no need to hunt out a mercerie. The covers would be a doddle to make!
http://www.mondialtissus.com/nos-magasins/ will show you where your nearest shop is.

[revdev]

Blimey, can't any of you sew?

Nope. The idea is to make things look better, not worse...

edit: Actually, we are very lucky, there are many many dosemeci here in Turkey. The work is good and price is reasonable. If the job is small enough they will often do it for free (fix a zip, sew a rip etc).

[enid]

Tx for the link GG

I agree Circé and I can sew but when I bought mine I just didn't have the time - too many thing on the jobs list and I needed a quick fix. I intend to use them as template when they need replacing but they are still looking good so no need yet.

I always have a list of sewing jobs for the winter but I rarely get them all done and not everybody can sew.

[wallypott]

I spent two years at school in sewing classes trying to make a pair of pyjamas. Two years later they were still unfinished (gathered top was a bit of a bugger) and they no longer fitted.

[Giddy Goat]

I still have my old sewing book, with samples in it of backstitch, blanket stitch etc., and labelled alongside in tentative joined up handwriting. They have stood me in good stead those stitches - but as for getting to grips with a sewing machine ....

I used to do a nice line in elaborate knitted jumpers and matinee jackets - but never had sufficient patience to wrestle with paper patterns and complex calculations to get embroiled in the making of clothes, curtains and such like. I'm in total awe of those who do!

Baby Goat is just like her mum. At 12, she halved a piece of fabric lengthways, lay down on it and insisted that I trace around her form with a marker pen.

She then lovingly cut it out and cobbled it up, leaving gaps in the right places for her arms, and created a (sort of) dress. The only trouble was that of course she hadn't allowed for the fact that she is actually three-dimensional. So she then had to unpick her efforts and add inserts .....

She did actually wear it once or twice!

[pepsipuss]

Pepsipuss might be able to give us a few hints!

Well, I dip out for a morning to attend and find you lot talking about me behind my back!

I am not toothless yet, but only this week I replaced my (nearly as old as treadle) machine with a basic new version on the grounds that the old one was not going to last for the remainder of my sewing days even if I had it repaired, but I do not require one which does everything including making the tea. As those who know me well are aware, I sew quite a lot but strictly in straight lines - curtains, cushions, pillow cases, etc.

My solution to the problem for this year and hopefully the next couple as well was to re-cycle many, many metres of curtains that I had grown tired of and on which the pattern was starting to fade in places. They were in a room with acres of full length window and I have enough for at least a dozen (not quite all ready yet due to failure of old machine while in full flow), which means not quite enough for two sets but I usually find not all require washing at each changeover and if they do I can get one machine load done.

I make them envelope style (like pillow cases) so no zips or fiddly buttons/velcro and I use them to cover the reasonably cheap but not too thin ones I buy on the market for under €15 and if I want to use them for our own family and friends I take the covers off. This way it doesn't matter if I can't get the same design again as seems to happen all the time.

I am keeping an eye open for end of range bargains in fabric for when the re-cycled ones are no longer acceptable. I find the worst problem after the weakening and splitting of original fabric is fading in the sun and I might be inclined to go for basic cream as I did for all my covered terrace furniture when I re-did it.

The bit I really fail to understand is why they bother to put zips in the ones that also have buttons front and back. Whoever is going to bother putting the buttons back on? And don't they know that the fabric doesn't survive the first wash?

[Jimbo]

We have towelling covers ...

We bought eight elasticated towelling covers from Lidl a couple of years back - four yellow and four blue. For about three weeks, we looked like the beach at Saint Tropez but the colours quickly faded; the elastic went baggy and became a mess. Haven't quite summoned up the courage to throw them away and they're still sitting forlornly in a barn. But they were only eight euros each, so it probably serves me right.

Wish I could sew. A lot more use than all that violent boys' stuff which seemed so important at the time.

Jim

[pepsipuss]

We bought the Lidl ones too ... same outcome.... now dog towels.