Attention, all you "Crafty" people - help needed!

I want to make a waterproof cover for our metal zooplus run, as cheaply as possible.

I have purchased from Ikea, an 89p clear PVC shower curtain for the cover. It covers the whole of the top of the run beautifully and goes about halfway down the sides too.

My problem is I would like an "easy" way to secure it to the run, without having to use 100 bricks and a million clothes pegs (that just fly off with the slightest gust off wind anyway)!

I have thought about adding some velcro tapes to the edges. Then I could thread through the bars of the run and tape up, but I don't think that velcro will be strong enough and I also don't know what I would use to attach the velcro to the shower curtain - would Superglue work?

Another thought would be to make holes in the shower curtain at the edges and thread loops of elastic through, but then I don't know what to loop the other end of the elastic loop over? As it is a metal run, I can't add any hooks like I could if it was made of wood.

Hmmmm, it's a tricky one! Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I'll get some photo's as well and post them tomorrow so you can see what I'm babbling on about!

Thank you!

Kerina

I don't think velcro would be strong enough - I tried that with my mosquito nets last year and they all blew away. :lol::lol:

If you made holes in the curtain, how about sewing a button onto the elastic loops you make? Then you can thread the loop through the hole and button it onto itself.

KarenM said:

I don't think velcro would be strong enough - I tried that with my mosquito nets last year and they all blew away. :lol::lol:

If you made holes in the curtain, how about sewing a button onto the elastic loops you make? Then you can thread the loop through the hole and button it onto itself.

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You see Karen, this is why I think i'd die without this forum - that is a BRILLIANT idea!!

Thank you so much! My little brain is whirring into action now! Do you think I could actually sew the elastic loop, plus the button straight onto the shower curtain (rather than making holes, as I'm worried that the the wind will stretch the holes I make and eventually break them)

Thank you!

Kerina

kerina said:

You see Karen, this is why I think i'd die without this forum - that is a BRILLIANT idea!!

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:lol::lol:

You might be right about the plastic stretching. :? As the curtain is so cheap, I would try stitching the elastic and button straight onto it. Another idea would be to add metal eyelets to the holes to reinforce them (like they have on tarpaulins) but, unless you have the tools already, that's not a cheap option.

The only thing I'm wondering now though is whether the curtain would end up becoming a parachute in windy weather because the elastic isn't really holding it in a certain position on the sides of the run, it's just attaching the curtain to itself. Not sure if I've explained myself very well.

KarenM said:

:lol::lol:

You might be right about the plastic stretching. :? As the curtain is so cheap, I would try stitching the elastic and button straight onto it. Another idea would be to add metal eyelets to the holes to reinforce them (like they have on tarpaulins) but, unless you have the tools already, that's not a cheap option.

The only thing I'm wondering now though is whether the curtain would end up becoming a parachute in windy weather because the elastic isn't really holding it in a certain position on the sides of the run, it's just attaching the curtain to itself. Not sure if I've explained myself very well.

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I understand what you mean. I would still put bricks on the top of the run (and cover), as I do that anyway to weight the run down. But on the sides it may still cause some parachuting. Although TBH, the shower curtain is so cheap, if it only lasts a couple of months then I'm happy - i'll just buy another, take the elastic off the old one and redo it.

If you look on this photo, you can see the sides of the run have horizontal bars at intervals. I would fasten the elastic around these, which should keep parachuting to a minimum



(please excuse Angelika, she has to get on every photo!)

I'm just sick of clothes pegs pinging off at me really :lol: :lol: :lol:

Lol at Angelika, the diva. :lol::lol::lol:

It's much clearer with a piccy As you said, you can loop the elastic round the horizontal bars & that, together with bricks on top, should stop the parachute effect.

Thank you for your help Karen - i'm going to give that a try this weekend.

I'll post some piccies next week for you - i just know you're going to be sooooo impressed by my sewing!! :lol: :lol:

I'm going to try to get some really cute buttons as well - just cos I can!

Kerina xx

As an alternative to clothes pegs I wonder if those big gripper peg type things you get to hold your patio tablecloth to your patio table might hold better? I think you can get them in the £1 shop sort of places.

Also, Duct tape is very good (perhaps instead of sewing or to reinforce the area you are going to sew), if you use a good make, not the cheapy, and apply it when everything is dry it holds very well and is pretty waterproof. I was amazed to find it stayed on my horses foot even in the wet and mud when he had hoof surgery.

Dustyrabbit said:

Also, Duct tape is very good (perhaps instead of sewing or to reinforce the area you are going to sew), if you use a good make, not the cheapy, and apply it when everything is dry it holds very well and is pretty waterproof. I was amazed to find it stayed on my horses foot even in the wet and mud when he had hoof surgery.

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Now there's another good idea - reinforcing the area's i'm going to sew sounds like a great idea - thank you Dustyrabbit. I was going to get some anyway because I am going to use some to tape down the "hospital corners" on the run cover to stop them flapping in the breeze. Now i shall be reinforcing my sewing as well.

I'd better get a decent needle - the one in the emergency mending kit I got in a cracker at Christmas isn't going to do it methinks!! :lol: :lol:

Who needs Scratch and Newton when i've got my forum friends

Kerina xx

Just had another brain wave, whilst searching ebay for some suitable elastic.

What about using hair bobbles? I have 100's of them that i've never even used! I could sew the bobble with a button on top, using the thread to "trap" the bobble. They I can just hook the bobble under the horizontal wire bit and onto the button.

Ooohhh - i'm really excited now - they won't cost me a penny!

I'm off to find a decent uphostery needle and thread.....and some cute buttons :lol: :lol:

Kerina xxx

Okay, i've been on ebay!!

I've bought an 8" upholstery button needle, and 20m of upholstery button twine. And 10 of those big wooden buttons (like Paddington Bear's coat buttons). It has come to £6.10 including delivery for the lot!

I just need to get some duck tape from wilko, and my project is ready to commence - it's so exciting! I hope the weather is decent this weekend so I can actually do it!

Kerina xxx