Merry ‘Bus’mas To All…And to All A Cozy Campsite

It’s been a while since my last post, and I’ve really missed sharing my experiences and thoughts with you all.  This past year has been a learning experience, to say the least: some good…some I could have done without.  As you can see, the Peniki Bus has undergone some changes; thanks to my sudden urge to paint flowers on her.  She needed some color!  She needed some love!  

So…one day, I just got creative and started brushing away; first having blotched her all up with spray paint.  I discovered then and there– I am not a spray painter.  I guess I can’t really call myself a painter of flowers either, but I love the way my newly tiki’d Peniki bus looks.  I also painted a very fire-y Sol on the front, bought a new VW badge and painted it aqua blue; the same as the flowers…the same as the interior.

About the interior–  I didn’t like the faded wood-look, all mismatched inside.  So…I painted it, too.  I also sewed some new curtains; which I really love!  As for the cab seats’ re-upholstery DIY I shared a few posts back– and nearly two years ago –I still haven’t finished them, due to lack of funds, and a lot of ‘stuff’ going on to distract me.  The Peniki has seen much better mechanical days, so we’ve mostly had to focus on repairs under the hatch, just to keep her put-putting around.  A new engine is in-the-works, so we can once again hit the open road.  It’s what I love to do.  It’s what I live to do!

Anyways…  If you’re reading this– thank you.  If you follow our meager adventures– thanks again.  And if you choose to leave a comment (or support our dreams and buy one of my two books: Sophi’s Shoe Fetish or Monday…Super-Fun Day, available on Amazon or at http://www.pennyespinoza.com), then I send to you the Merriest of Holiday wishes.  May you and your camping family have a very Merry Bus’mas, and a truly Blessed Camping Christmas Holiday!

Cheers!!

New String Lights, Curtains, and Interior Paint

Snooz’n and’a Groovin’ in my Nomadic State of Mind Sandals

Outlining the Sprayed-on Flowers

Adding a Few Details to the Flowers on My Bus

DIY VW Bus Seat Re-Upholstering Part III – Drivers Side

So in Part I and Part II of the DIY reupholstering of my front seats, I’ve been working on the driver’s side first…just to get it out of the way.  Most folks might think that both front seats are the same in VW Buses, but they aren’t.  The drivers side seat has a full back side (back side of back rest), while the passenger’s seat (at least in my 71 Westfalia) only has a partial back panel so it can lock into place with the ‘hoop lock’ attached to the van itself.  I’ll post some pics of this when I get to the passenger side seat re-upholstering.

For now, I am still in the throes of figuring out the various shapes I am having to create from the very worn out, tattered, and barely there pieces of the old driver’s seat.  I am hoping for the best, while bracing myself for the worst.

I’ve lost a bit of momentum, I admit, since it took over a month to receive the faux burlap I ordered from Baja California Sur, Mexico.  I wasn’t very pleased when I received it, because it is quite transparent.  So…with hopes of remedying this problem, I have plans to fuse a very thick layer of Pellon Wonder Under fusible webbing to the underside.  I guess we’ll see how that goes.

For now, here are a few pics of the patterns I have created from newspaper.  I will post more pics in the next part of this series; when I cut and fuse the fabric.  If you have re-upholstered the seats in your VW Van…ever, please feel free to drop me a note or two of advice.  I could use it at this point!

Thanks for stopping by, and uber thanks for commenting!

*Never stop learning new, exciting, and useful things.*  *Amaze yourself every now and then!*

Fold Back Panel Piece, Trace, Then Cut…Marking Fold on Pattern

Seat Side Panel Pieces – Cut 1 Pattern but 2 Fabric Pieces

Faux Burlap and Pellon Heavy Duty (not too stiff, but still strong)

Faux Burlap (feels almost plastic coated), and Pellon Fusible Webbing – Heavy Duty but Flexible

Close up of Turquoise Faux Burlap from Baja Mexico

Pellon will add strength and opacity to transparent-like faux burlap fabric

Back Panel (not seat back rest) Pattern Piece Cut From Newspaper

Seat Side Panels – Pattern Pieces

Allow enough room for sturdy wire insert, when hemming seat covers along bottom.

Seat bottom hem must have sturdy wire inserted within casing, to hook over prongs on bottom of seat frame.

All Driver’s Side Seat Patterns Traced From Old Seat Upholstery Scraps (guesstimation-like), and Created From Newspaper. Fabric and Fusible Webbing is Ready to Cut!

 

Installing a Camper Canvas on a VW Bus — With the Top On