window blankets (Hope: apartment complex, insurance, new house) - Maine (ME) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Casper1212 · 01-12-2009, 05:20 PM

Okay, I see. Window blankets are like the old fashioned window shades that were used in the late 1800's in houses. They would roll them up during the day and down at night. This sounds like a nice way to make a room darker for day sleepers. I've seen instructions for making those with the drawstrings in them, too. There is a tape with small rings on it that you can buy at sewing supply stores. You sew it on down the back of the curtain/blanket and run the drawstring up through the rings. When you pull the drawstring, it looks like Roman shades. If you used a lined or quilted material, it would not only look nice, it would help keep the cold out.

mommax3plus2 · 01-12-2009, 06:22 PM

yes- those are the 'kits', all the hardware, batting, instructions and mylar was in the kit, all you needed to buy (in addition to the kit) was whatever fabric you wanted to go with it. i can do it without the kit- i just have no idea where to get mylar- or if i should just use the window plastic you get at the hardware store. i know the mylar is sturdy enough that i can sew it and it doesnt tear easily, not sure about the other stuff.

Cornerguy1 · 01-12-2009, 07:58 PM

Not sure why you need the mylar. Unless it's coated with some sort of reflectant, its only purpose will be to stop drafts. With the window blanket not being sealed to the frame, any air coming through leaky windows is going to come right around the plastic. Use those clear, heat-shrinkable plastic widow insulator kits for any windows that have that much air coming in.

Rather than using plain quilt batting for lining curtains, consider using the much denser material sold for lining oven mitts. The silver heat-reflective coating makes quite a difference over plain batting. Should be available at Wal Mart or a sewing store for a pretty reasonable price.

Submariner · 01-12-2009, 08:19 PM

B has made lined curtains in each of our homes as we have moved around. A white bed sheet, a wool blanket and a nicer pretty sheet, all quilted together.

They look very nice and work for day-sleeping too.

peachie_in_maine · 01-13-2009, 04:45 AM

Aww window blankets....

Our home is not quite 20 years old and when we purchased it, it was a summer home to a couple from Canada. We always noticed that the north side of the house seemed chillier then the the rest of course.
Our dear friend ( who's a carpentar came up and the windows got mentioned)
He said, Your windows are not insulated.
I thought wow... they look so new, but he's right.. cool they are.

So I went to Mardens purchased some Black out fabric.
It's the fabric ( probably has a different name to others) that is used in "Hotels" to block out the light . It's a heavy white fabric.

So I purchased some and squared them off like panels and placed them behind my curtains. What a different.

txmom · 01-13-2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by island mermaid

Making Old-Time Window Quilts | Lehman's Country Life

My neighbor in Harpswell was pretty handy. I don't remember if she made hers or ordered them on line.

Thanks! I do need something like this in the kid's room.

Nor'Eastah · 01-13-2009, 12:47 PM

Yup, we're planning on having something very like that. Our south-facing solar windows in our future home will have 'tracks' beside them, with pull-down quilted insulating panels that move up and down within the tracks. During the day, they'll be up over the ceiling; at night they'll be pulled down into place.

For windows on the other 3 sides of the house, we're thinking removable flat frames filled with polyester material; they should store neatly just under the windows during the daytime. Those windows will be smaller, anyway.

Great idea for a thread!

mommax3plus2 · 01-13-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

Not sure why you need the mylar. Unless it's coated with some sort of reflectant, its only purpose will be to stop drafts. With the window blanket not being sealed to the frame, any air coming through leaky windows is going to come right around the plastic. Use those clear, heat-shrinkable plastic widow insulator kits for any windows that have that much air coming in.

thanks- it would be easier to not have to use the mylar- i guess i just figured they had to have them. i dont think we have a lot of moving air- fairly new home- just cold around the windows. just since putting up the ones i did yesterday we noticed a difference in how much wood we used in the outside wood boiler.

starwalker · 01-13-2009, 01:49 PM

I am still trying to come up with a workable solution for our windows.

I do not like "living in a cave" and want to be able to see out and have natural light during the day, and honestly have gotten out of the habit of closing window coverings even at night... so whatever will have to be quick and easy to deploy.

But most of all it has to be 100% easily washable! And much of the "warmwindow" brand of thermal covering does not appear to be...

But there is plenty of time for me to think about thie issue as I am not going to do anything until we fix the drafty walls and then the windows...

Casper1212 · 01-13-2009, 07:56 PM

Any kind of plastic is a good insulator. But I hate the plastic storm windows. You can't see out. And I like to let the light in during the day. A quick and very effective fix is the insulation material that is made like bubble wrap with very thin aluminum on both sides. You can buy it by the yard at a lot of hardware stores. Cut it a couple of inches too wide and you can just press it into the window opening. It's just stiff enough to stay. It can be stapled up if you don't want to take it down frequently. It will black out a window, and it's not very expensive. It can even be rolled up, stored away, and used again. The drawback is that it doesn't look nice.