Visit our Popular Forums

manchester · 10-29-2005, 06:54 PM

I found out that if you give your serial nunber to Airstream they can give you the exact measurements for you to make your own drapes.

FYI, I used Dryel in my dryer to clean Airstream drapes that were over 20 yrs and they came out beautifully. I rehung them upside down because the top pleats were protected by a valance and they looked great.

rosie

CanoeStream · 10-29-2005, 07:31 PM

Hi Rosie -- Welcome to Airstream Forums! Hope you can find answers to all your questions. At least you'll 'meet' many experienced folks here.

They don't do roller blinds, but they really know Airstreams -- Check out James Ambruso -- http://www.jpadrapes.com/ -- they send you a pretty good packet with sample fabrics, instructions what to measure, etc. Sad to say my '76 Argosy now has much sturdier drapes than the '06 Safari -- at least the latter do operate very nicely. Having installed Ambruso drapes in my Argosy, I can say it'd take a heck of a lot of attention and bother to do these at home. The available sources also nick you pretty hard for the little plastic slides! (Best prices for good AS accessories has usually been Arizona's Oasis RV -- www.oasisrv.com -- but phone them for your particulars as they are a good 'people' business and not really set up for precise internet dealing.)

I honestly can't say that I've measured the '06 for consistency. But measuring the Argosy taught me that installation of the drape rails must have been put in by hand and eye. The separation top-to-bottom would vary from end to end and even be different in the middle if you're talking panoramic windows. Even rectangular windows had this inconsistency. So I don't know if I'd really trust Airstream Central on giving out measurements that would work perfectly with your trailer....

Cedars · 10-29-2005, 07:31 PM

Good for you!
But I don't understand how you could hang them back upside down.
I took down the ones in the living room, in a do or die effort, actually washed them at home, and reinstalled. With no problems! And these were, I'm pretty sure, the originals in a 1983 Excella!
Now I have no idea if I hung the side sets back the same, or if they ended by being bottoms up! But the four panels for the front and wrap around windows only fit one way. The bottom is longer than the top due to the curvature of the coach.
For what it's worth, our front drapes consist of three panels for the traffic side, two for the curb side, and four for the front.
Being able to get actual drapery measurments would make life so much simpler for many of us!

Elizabeth in Iowa

manchester · 10-30-2005, 06:38 AM

I must have lucked out in my 81 International. If I didn't pay close attention to where water marks were on lining on the bottom I couldn't tell the top from the bottom. I don't remember anything not looking symetrical when I finished. All I do remember was the torture putting those little plastic thingys on the rails under the valances. I didn't have the proper tools to remove the valences and most likely that's what I should have done.
rosie

bpk1300 · 10-31-2005, 04:09 PM

hi
i have just finished making curtains for my argosy and they are fanastic!!! I used the old ones as a pattern. I only issue was the snaps as I could not find them in at the material store. Does anyone know where they can be found.

Janssvt · 10-31-2005, 08:18 PM

I get mine at Hancock Fabrics, Walmart or Joanne Fabric. They are the standard size large snap. If you live in an area where there is someone who makes boat covers, they might sell you snaps cheaper. I used good sheets to make drapes in the Arstream. I bought less expensive white sheets to line them and washed hem first. After that the drapes wash great and don't shrink. In the bedroom I bought sheets for drapes and hen made comforters for the bed from the same sheets.

StingrayL82 · 10-31-2005, 08:45 PM

Mr. Ambruso made the drapes for Lazarus.....they are gorgeous!!!! Not only are they well made, they are labeled, so you will never screw up the installation. JPA Drapes rocks! Worth every penny!

Frederic

maztoz · 11-01-2005, 11:22 AM

Greetings All !!
We are in the process of cleaning the old camper for our new pups.
The beige original drapes are all in perfectly fine shape, just so dull, lifeless, boring and YUCKY I can barely stand them.

Are Mr. Ambruso's drapes really worth the investment?
Although perfectly capable of making my own, I hesitate to tackle the project with these two little maniacs underfoot.

What thinks the group??

StingrayL82 · 11-01-2005, 12:29 PM

Spend the dough, you won't be disappointed.

Frederic

maztoz · 11-01-2005, 12:57 PM

Thanks Frederic! Do you have pictures of your curtains posted anywhere? I'd like to see them.
Much appreciate your feedback,
Mary

Condoluminum · 11-01-2005, 01:00 PM

We did an entire set for our 25' Excella, after removing the "interesting" pink sheer drapes with wavy weave... (It was the late 80's...)

Drapes arrived in much nicer fabric, with backing layer for light limits, pleated and folded and labeled.. Only hard part was (as noted above..) getting the little sliders back onto upper rails under the wooden valence boxes.. That took almost an hour for 3 windows...

They look great, fit perfectly, and are a huge improvement... Unless you're really comfy with sewing machines and making drapes, I'd give them the chance.. Do get fabric samples first... If you are comfy making your own, you can buy their fabrics direct and many are designed to work well with Airstream interior trims...

John McG

maztoz · 11-01-2005, 01:25 PM

Pink sheers Huh John ?!!

I don't even want to know

The sewing isn't the issue, it's the time commitment. I'm actually paying somebody to build a couch/storage unit in the area where the gaucho was ripped out by the original owners. (The idiots let the entire trailer flood and start to rot, I saved her

!

We're trying to raise these mutts properly, and the first few months are crucial, so sitting in front of a machine is problematic.

It would be glorious to have fresh, almost white window coverings to let the light in when we go to the beach in December!!
Thanks a bunch,
mary

CanoeStream · 11-01-2005, 09:08 PM

I'll support Frederic's opinion completely! My wife is quite a seamstress from a long way back. She didn't feel she had time to reinvent the wheel and do it right the first time. There were many recommendations in these forums when we made the choice to go with Ambruso in Spring '04. Their work product is very good -- certainly much more substantial than what is in our new Safari.

I'm not at home right now but can access this photo of our Argosy's Ambruso curtains elsewhere on ASForums:

Condoluminum · 11-01-2005, 10:53 PM

It wasn't JUST the pink curtains... Add in salmon pink mini-blinds, and a muave couch with pink flowers, and the interior (as delivered by AIrstream in 1988..) was not really that wonderful, in eyes of Ms. McG...

Here are before and after pictures, with new couch fabric, ivory mini-blinds and curtains by Ambruso... MUCH better...

John McG

StingrayL82 · 11-01-2005, 11:59 PM

Mary,

As soon as Lazarus has been resurrected, which hopefully will be this weekend, I will flood the board with all of the pictures I can of the final product....not literally, of course Andy R

, JPA drapes included. As of now, they are still in the box, awaiting everything else to be completed....drapes will be the final installation.

Frederic

maztoz · 11-02-2005, 07:50 AM

You guys are terrific!
Not only do I get to admire your curtains (covetously, I might add

)but now I have a couple of pictures of couchs for my Handy-Dude to look at this weekend!
EXCELLENT! Thank you all so much.
Those pink curtains and mauve couch made me want to run right to Goodwill and recover all those business suits I used to wear with the "Joan Crawford" shoulders... ah, the hideous old days

... Ms. McG is a woman of rare good taste. Your unit is gorgeous.
I'll look forward to seeing Lazarus soon Frederic. Hopefully our resurrection won't require TOO much divine intervention.
m

maztoz · 11-02-2005, 08:07 AM

Hey Bob,
I'm looking at your camper, and although shadowed, I think I'm seeing a little built in ledge running along the curved arm-rest area on the right ??
Did my unit used to have them once-upon-a-time I wonder ??

??
It would be handy to have a hard, water impervious surface along the edges of the couch.
hmmmm

overlander63 · 11-02-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Condoluminum

It wasn't JUST the pink curtains... Add in salmon pink mini-blinds, and a muave couch with pink flowers, and the interior (as delivered by AIrstream in 1988..) was not really that wonderful, in eyes of Ms. McG...

Here are before and after pictures, with new couch fabric, ivory mini-blinds and curtains by Ambruso... MUCH better...

John McG

The "before" drapes are now residing in our 1972 Argosy, a vast improvement over what was there. And after cleaning, the pink was much lighter in color than when they arived.
I second (or third, or fourth) Ambruso, I just don't have that kind of cash laying around for curtains, the only reason I used others' cast-offs.

overlander63 · 11-02-2005, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maztoz

Hey Bob,
I'm looking at your camper, and although shadowed, I think I'm seeing a little built in ledge running along the curved arm-rest area on the right ??
Did my unit used to have them once-upon-a-time I wonder ??

??
It would be handy to have a hard, water impervious surface along the edges of the couch.
hmmmm

I'm not Bob, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I can answer your question.
That seems to be a "thing" with 1970's Argosies, and some Airstreams. The "shelf" was also in our '72 Argosy, and seems to be so they could have a shorter couch (shorter is cheaper, less materials), and a hanging place for the credenza table for dual-gaucho models. Ours wasn't as handy as it looks, it was really too narrow to put anything on but condiments, but it did cover the area where the credenza table was stowed.

CanoeStream · 11-02-2005, 06:52 PM

maztoz -- What you are seeing on the roadside wall is part of the enclosure for the folding slide-away table that I've chosen not to put back into the Argosy for a number of reasons. Attached to the trailer frame right behind the couch, there is a nice shelf with a raised lip to keep small things from sliding off while underway.

The freshwater tank is above the floor just behind the couch (gaucho). The water pump is on the floor below an upholstered more functional streetside arm rest that is not in this photo view. The latter opens up so you can access the pump.

Bob
Answered from my real hometown -- the Alamo City (just visiting).