Window Awning Design & Clip

BrianZ

Thought I would share my first prototype for a new window awning design that has a built-in pocket that slips over the bottom edge of the window, with elastic straps across the top corners.  I also made some DIY clips to further reinforce it against the wind.

It hasn't been stitched yet, so it is currently held together with straight pins at the seams & hems, but it appears to fit well enough that I believe it's ready for my wife to apply her sewing machine skills.


Here are my detailed plans used to make the one shown in these photos.  Fabric source link..
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719BNP77
The bottom 5" of the 29" hemmed fabric is folded and stitched as shown to create a pocket & bottom flap that hangs from the lower edge of the window.


I will be moving the top attachment point of the elastic strap over one inch closer to the hinge, since room is available to make it more secure.  Both points will attach at about 3.5" from the corner, max.


In this view from underneath, the darker part of the material is the pocket surrounding the bottom of the window.  For extra resistance to wind, I added a couple of DIY clips to fasten the fabric to the edge of the window, if needed.  This also illustrates why we didn't want to use a liner (besides extra sewing work) - it lets in more light while still providing shade & privacy.


A closer view of one of the 2-inch long clips, made from polyethylene tubing.  Straight pins are where the edge of the pocket fabric will be hemmed.


View with bottom flap flipped up, showing the bottom of the window pocket with clips.


Also added a 2-inch clip on each side, if needed.


Quarter inch tubing left over from installing a refrigerator water supply line was used to make the DIY clips.


Each clip is slit lengthwise & trimmed at the ends.


I found that trimming a notch, like that in the middle one here, makes it much easier to simply push the end over the window edge to get started, then it can be angled down & more easily slid onto the window.


Now I need to make two more, including the slightly different sized front window, which is 3/4" taller & 1/2" less in width.  So, it may be necessary to slightly reduce the depth of the pocket or height of the bottom flap to have enough material.  I'll likely sacrifice form over function & steal a bit from the flap, since it's doubled & would only lose half as much in height.
My wife plans to use the leftover fourth quarter of the tablecloth material to make an actual tablecloth inside the T@B. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Very clever!  Does anyone know if the window sizes are the same for the S and clamshell models?

Freshaire

@BrianZ--this looks great!  I think I will give your new pattern a try.  The use of a tablecloth is quite brilliant also.  I'm guessing it is less expensive than buying Sunbrella fabric too.  Thanks so much for sharing.

dragonsdofly

@BrianZ, looks like a well thought out and executed plan. Congratulations. 

BrianZ

Thanks, @SAM , @Freshaire , & @dragonsdofly . 
I tried to keep things simple & relatively easy to make with regard to the sewing, but I wanted it to have support in all directions.  The real test will be after it's sewn & actually used at a campsite, and in windy weather too.  So far, so good with the design though.  I probably would have made the pockets 3" if there was more material, but not necessary with the clips - without them, it remains to be seen.  I just hope the fabric lasts, because I'm not a big fan of doing all that ironing & pinning of hems!  I'd rather install a kitchen faucet or drain, though the sewer pipe carrier installation will take some effort too.

Freshaire

@BrianZ, it sounds like you are well rounded in your skill set!  I can sew, but you won't see me putting in a kitchen faucet or drain (at least without watching a copious number of YouTube videos), and forget the sewer pipe carrier installation.  : )

BrianZ

Thanks to my wife's sewing machine skills, the new window awnings are finished & ready for their first trip.  Well, except that after cleaning gutters on the house, I ended up with some leftover strips of plastic material that I thought would add some nice weight to the bottom flap of the awnings..


I needed to trim an inch from the edges of these gutter guards, so rather than throw them away, I opened the seam in the bottom flap and slid the 3-ft long strip inside to help mitigate the effects of winds.


You can see the shadow of the strip inside.  It prevents folding, but makes it easier to roll up for storage, which I think is better anyway.  Rolled up, they store nicely in the back corner of our new wire shelf where not much else fits. It may help keep the crease too.  


All stitched up and still fits great!

BrianZ

She just hemmed the remaining quarter of the original tablecloth material after trimming to fit the "T@Ble"..

Freshaire

@BrianZ--I think they look great. Let us know how they work in the real world.  Thanks for sharing.

BrianZ

Thanks, @Freshaire, will do!  It won't be long before we get that opportunity. 
In the mean time, we are busy exterminating an army of tiny ants that decided to take refuge from the unusually heavy rains we've had lately by moving into the spaces under the driver side seat.
Not sure how they got in, but appears to have been somewhere in the back right corner area under seats.

ColleenD2

Freshaire said:

@BrianZ--this looks great!  I think I will give your new pattern a try.  The use of a tablecloth is quite brilliant also.  I'm guessing it is less expensive than buying Sunbrella fabric too.  Thanks so much for sharing.

Remember though both JoAnn and Hobby Lobby carry Sunbrella, JoAnn carries WAY more than HL but and that means 40-60% off depending on the coupon for the week.

ColleenD2

Really great design Brian. I have been thinking along these same lines myself. I bought fabric but haven’t tackled it yet. I agree about skipping the lining, I’d like more light coming thru and don’t mind seeing the pattern from the other side. I’m thinking I will try one addition and that is including a piece of 1/4”elastic inside the hem on the 3” pocket to help hold it tighter. I love the idea of the weight inside the overhang too and it doesn’t bother me to see a shadow... now to figure out what I can sub for that? A dowel rod? Or what could I use if I wanted to scallop the Edge... hmmmmm

Thanks again for sharing your designs and experience with us. I am firm believer in teacher others and not having creative secrets. The saddest thing ever to me is a “secret family recipe”. I want the whole world to know the wonder of things!

ColleenD2

ColleenD2 said:

Remember though both JoAnn and Hobby Lobby carry Sunbrella, JoAnn carries WAY more than HL but and that means 40-60% off depending on the coupon for the week.

One other Sunbrella endorsement, remember it is fade resistant, the color is actually woven into the design and not printed on top. What you see that is green, is green thread in the weave. Not the end of the world, but just a thought. I paid about $10 a yard for my Hobby Lobby and about $7 a yard for my JoAnn fabric and that is 54” wide fabric.

BrianZ

So far, so good camping with the window awnings.  Not using the clips here.  Very quick & easy to put up & take down.
Great idea @ColleenD2 about using elastic in the pocket hem - that would improve its grip on the bottom edge.

Marceline

Neat design. Has anyone considered/tried using a strip of keder rail just above the window as a way of hanging a window awning? 

BrianZ

Interesting idea, @Marceline, but not sure how that would work.  My pocket design may not be compatible, as it seems like it might get looser with the window raised & tighter when lowered, but @ColleenD2's elastic idea might help with that.  The rail could ensure that strong winds wouldn't blow it completely away, even if it got loose at the bottom.

Another view of ours in use.  We had a couple of wind gusts that blew down small towels hanging from bars under the edge of our popup tent, but my window awnings still held tight.  Haven't used the clips yet, but keeping them handy just in case we should ever need them.

BrianZ

Just another view in use.  This particular fabric does let in a lot of light.


View at night with the brighter corner light lit makes the fabric look more than translucent, almost semi-transparent.  In daylight it offers some privacy, but at night you need the window shades.

Freshaire

@BrianZ--thanks for the update in real world use.  Your design looks like a winner.  I like @ColleenD2's idea about using some elastic on the bottom pocket also.  I lprefer your fabric choice to a more tightly woven type and I have already ordered and received my tablecloth (albeit in a different design and color scheme than yours) from Amazon.  Now I have to dig my sewing machine out of the moth balls.  It is nice to get these little personal touches on our traveling abodes.  Thanks so much for sharing your idea.

ColleenD2

This is so perfect! I love it from every angle. Great work!

Tink

@ColleenD2 if you want a scalloped edge, you could skip the fold up from the bottom edge. Just cut your scalloped edge as desired and hem it. Then sew a separate strip of fabric on the back, above the scallop, at the location needed to line up with the lower edge of the window...creating the pocket. Sewing the lower edge and sides of the strip, leaving the top edge open as @BrianZ has in his pattern. You could add the elastic before attaching the strip to the awning.  Just an idea, might work.  :-)

BrianZ

The scalloped edge definitely has that cuteness factor, if you're willing to take the time & have the sewing skills. 
What I was aiming for was a simple design that would be easy to make from a single piece, yet functional & easy to put on/take off.  With the pocket plus straps at top corners, I can literally put one on in less than 10 seconds & it comes off in less than 2s.  You're right though, one could still make a pocket & have a scalloped edge.

Tink

@BrianZ I love the simplicity of your design with just corner straps and the lower pocket. Looks great and very functional and easy to make. I recently saw the ones offered on the Teardrop Shop by Pahaque and was thinking of attempting those. Then I saw your design. 

https://teardropshop.com/products/custom-window-covers-by-pahaque?variant=581821333520

Sharon_is_SAM

Is there any reason the pocket can not be at the top?  Do the struts get in the way?

BrianZ

Yes, @SAM, but struts are not the problem, it's the hinge at the top with no free edge of window for pocket to wrap around.  The window edge goes around the top corners for 2-3" then stops where it goes inside the hinge at top.  That 2-3 inches is enough for an elastic strap to grab though.

Sharon_is_SAM

Oh.  Forgot about the hinges.  

Barrett

Will this pattern work for the front and side windows as well?

BrianZ

@Barrett, yes, it worked for us, but the front window has slightly different (longer/wider?) dimensions as I recall, so required adjustment.  I think we ended up with a shallower pocket.  But the same basic design worked.

lara9209

Looks Great!