1.23.2012

A Drafty Stairwell Solution

You remember that proverbial fire that was roasting our tooshies into finishing our closet renovation at the speed of light? Well. It seems that things like employers and the basic need for sleep are slowing us down just a tad. There’s also this thing about our house being over a century old and apparently crooked.

Old crooked house + amateur carpenters = :(

Rick was feeling a little crooked as a result, so I suggested what any good wife would: a trip to Joann Fabrics.

Old crooked house + amateur carpenter supervisor and her husband + Joann Fabrics = :D

It was possibly the shortest Joann Fabrics trip we’ve ever taken, clocking in at just under one hour. (Husbands everywhere just died a little when I said that, I know.) While there, we bought 2 1/2 yards of this snazzy stuff called Warm Window. Why? Because the stairs to our attic currently have no door, and even though building the walls around the attic stairs did help a little, a huge draft was still coming down…hence the need for that fire I mentioned earlier. Or something.

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We initially planned to put an actual door there, but the litter box is in the attic (no different from it being in the basement, right?) so we would have had to carve out a kitty door for easy potty access. Instead, I decided to just make a fabric curtain of sorts, which is where Warm Window came in.

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It has 4 layers of super sonic insulating powers, or something, so it’s designed to block a draft like the one we were dealing with. We got it for about $12/yard on sale and with a coupon.

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This is what it looks like when your cat sits on it:

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For the front of the curtain, I used 54” Robert Allen fabric that I got for $3/yard on clearance on a different marathon trip to Joann’s. (It’s back in stock now at $39.99 a yard. I’d say I got a good deal, no?)

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I sewed the two sides and the bottom inside out so that I could then turn the whole thing right-side out and the edges would be nice and neat without foil hanging out.

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The bulk of the Warm Window plus the size of the curtain itself (over 8’ long) did cause everything to slip around occasionally while I was sewing, so I enlisted a small kitten to weigh it down and keep it from moving.

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When those 3 edges were sewn together, I flipped it right-side out and added the rod pocket out of just fabric so that the bulky Warm Window didn’t have to wrap around the tension rod. Here’s the final product:

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And here’s the nice neat edge and what it looks like from the back:

DSC_1187Is that a peek of built-in closet in the background? Maybe, maybe not. I’m sworn to secrecy.

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So far, so good. I no longer have a need for earmuffs, boots, and a Snuggie when passing through the stairwell. Should I submit that statement to Warm Window? They can add it to these “customer” comments that are already on their packaging:

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Dear “Lois”/Editor of Lois’ Comment: That is a run-on sentence. Dear “Jackie”: Not really, unless your pillow cases generally include layers of foam and foil. Dear “Susan”: I am wondering why you compare heating bills with your neighbors.

Revived from our exhilarating trip to Joann Fabrics, Rick is putting the final nails in the coffin built-in closet as I type, so I’ll have full pictures of our latest progress sometime this week. Until then, we’ll be basking in our Snuggie-less existence and high-fiving each other about being in and out of Joann’s in less time than it took Jackie Trute of Michigan to sew her latest pillow case.

Happy Monday, everyone! :)

24 comments :

  1. Love it! A great solution to the drafty crooked house issue. Can't wait to see the closet progress.

    Happy Monday!

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  2. You kill me!

    Nice work on the fabric find. That gets you at least another hour in Joann's with no complaining from Rick!

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    1. YES! He'll be so happy to be informed of this fact. :)

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  3. I can't BELIEVE the deal you scored on that awesome fabric!! WOW! Great work, Erin and Rick!

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  4. How did you even know this warm window stuff existed? Andy would totally suffer through a Joanns trip if it meant saving money on the power bill. Also, I'm curious how much our neighbors spend on their power bill but pretty sure that's not something you ask. I wonder if the commenters on the package are mailbox snoopers?

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    1. We didn’t! I was wandering aimlessly (this is why our trips take forever) and Rick was tagging along behind when he spotted a giant roll of it and was like…this looks fun. And the rest, as they say, is history.

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  5. Haha! You're hilarious! I think the curtain looks nicer than a door would! Great job!

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  6. If I had known that this Warm Window stuff existed, I would've been so much warmer in my childhood bedroom. And at college. And now when I sit at the computer (the windows are so cheap, you can feel a breeze). I may need to invest in these too...

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  7. I've never heard of the Window Warmer stuff. Nice job! And how is it possible that you always score the most ridiculous deals? Good job my friend, good job!!

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    1. My answer to that question is shrewd persistence and a nose for bargains. (Ha.) Rick's answer to that question is "She goes to Joann's too much." Considering that the cashier the other day asked me how the knobs had turned out that I'd purchased at a previous visit, he might be on to something. I should really get a frequent flyer card or something.

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  8. You and your assistants did a wonderful job on this great solution to the draft!

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  9. I had never heard of this stuff, we have a room here with drafty windows...just might have to try this stuff out, the customer comments on the bag is really what put me over the edge to want to try it :). Love the fabric too - and I would say that was a pretty sweet deal and I'm jealous.

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  10. Awesome!! I will tuck this away for future reference. I have lived in old houses with single pane windows and could really have used this. Glad you're not freezing to death any longer:)

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  11. You did it again! You made me LOL! I've never even heard of this stuff, but I've got it on my mental list now. Just in case.

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  12. I shared this with my husband, and his eyes grew wide at the thought of an hour long JoAnn's trip :) he then informed me that he needed something similar in his basement office. I asked if it justified me taking a JoAnns trip, and he said yes, by YOURSELF!

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    Replies
    1. Aww...doesn't he know how romantic a trip to Joann's can be? ;)

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  13. Great score on the fabric. Looks great and is super functional. You have a keeper there. Whenever I pull the JoAnn's trip a certain someone I married stays in the car :/

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  14. That is a great idea! May need to hang some of that stuff over the window in our bedroom which is terribly drafty! :)

    Also - love that fabric!

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  15. That fabric is gorgeous! What a deal! And your comments to the "Warm Window" comments made me laugh. :)

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  16. please tell me you own a snuggie because that would be AWESOME.

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  17. I never knew such a product existed! Nor would I have thought to make it pretty with actual fabric (hopefully, I would have eventually...)
    Looks great!

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  18. I LOVE the fabric that you've chosen!!! Does it make any sense that I might be just a wee bit jealous of all of the great house projects you have going on??? I am your newest follower and look forward to keeping up with your house adventures!

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  19. Great idea. Congratulations on the fabric/Warm Window score. Glad you were able to banish your drafts. Do your kitties push the curtain aside to use the litter box in the attic? My cat would have turned her nose up at that much effort and left presents for me in the furniture.

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    1. Yes they do! Thank goodness. I don't think I could handle a present in my furniture. (Though I definitely got a giggle about your cat--they can be snobs, can't they?!) Our 2 youngest actually even enjoy it...behind the curtain has quickly become a great place to lurk in hopes of a sister ambush. :P

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