Altering Sheets to fit 13' Scamp Bunks?

[suzuz22]

Hi all, I'm new to the forums, we just purchased our new to us 13' Scamp about a month ago and have been busy making minor tweaks and making it ours before our first trip after Christamas.

Has anyone ever tried successfully to alter sheets to fit the bunks? I have twin size sets for my kids, but they are HUGE! And with the top bunk being permanently attached in the back, there isn't much room to tuck in excess. I'm tossing around the thought of trying to alter the sheets to make them have a more proper fit, but I'm a bit intimidated by the undertaking. Suggestions? Our full size sheets are also a bit big on our "full" dinette bed, but it isn't quite as big of a problem to tuck them. Ideally would like the bottom sheet to fit a bit more snug, though. We did decide to go with a twin quilt on that to eliminate some excess, and it seems to work well so far, although we haven't camped in it yet.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions or tips!
Sue

[Jon in AZ]

Have you considered sleeping bags and using a flat sheet to whip up a washable liner? Bags make it easier to convert the trailer back into day mode, as you might have to do on an inclement weather day.

To make the liner, just open the sleeping bag fully, cut the sheet to size, and hem the cut edges. Fold the liner in half and sew the foot area together, but leave 1/2 to 2/3 of the zipper side open.

A duffle bag just big enough for bag, liner, and pillow allows you to easily store each child's bedding, and if they're old enough, they can take care of their own. Toss them in the car, and the trailer is wide open again for cooking, eating, or relaxing during bad weather or a cold evening.

[Bob Miller]

Many front bunk users simple use adult or kid size sleeping bags. Ditto for the dinette/bed with two adult bags zipped together. Both of these ideas are much easier to use, especially if you have to make up the beds every morning. Remember, as you said, this is "Camping", not "Moteling" LOL

[Bob Miller]

Which all goes to prove that "Great Minds Think Alike" LOLOLOL

[Jon in AZ]

Oh… and welcome to FiberglassRV, Sue!

Hope you have some great adventures in your "new" Scamp! The kids will absolutely love it, and what family memories you will make!

[suzuz22]

Thanks, guys! Our kids are 2 and 5, and surely we have lots of memories to be made. We upgraded from a pop-up so we are excited to be able to go farther and have more one night stopovers to expand our adventures.

Great suggestions with the sleeping bags, but I am admittedly a sheet snob as well as a glamper, and in no sense of the word a camper. We tried the sleeping bags for the kids in our pop-up but they slid around too much, they do much better being actually tucked in. I already have all of our bedding from our old camper, so not looking to re-purchase everything if I can at all avoid it. I just might have to get daring and brave with my sewing machine! lol

[Jon in AZ]

Gotcha… wish we had started that young. I grew up camping in a pop-up, but my wife did not. It took the end of the 2009 recession and a sharp rise in the cost of motel rooms to get us camping. Started with a tent, so when we upgraded to the Scamp, she thought it was luxurious! The kids, of course, love it, so there's no going back now.

I guess if sleeping bags don't work for you, then you'll have to crank up the ol' sewing machine. You could use the lower cushions as a template, cut a sheet about 6" bigger all around, hem it up, and run a length of elastic through the hem to make a fitted sheet. You could cut some inexpensive quilts or comforters down to a more manageable size (household twins are going to be way too big for the Scamp bunks) and use them as is or make washable covers out of sheets.

Whatever you do, make sure you build a bunk safety rail for the top bunk.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Have you considered sleeping bags and using a flat sheet to whip up a washable liner? Bags make it easier to convert the trailer back into day mode, as you might have to do on an inclement weather day.

To make the liner, just open the sleeping bag fully, cut the sheet to size, and hem the cut edges. Fold the liner in half and sew the foot area together, but leave 1/2 to 2/3 of the zipper side open.

A duffle bag just big enough for bag, liner, and pillow allows you to easily store each child's bedding, and if they're old enough, they can take care of their own. Toss them in the car, and the trailer is wide open again for cooking, eating, or relaxing during bad weather or a cold evening.

Another possibility (at least for the bottom bunk)would be to make a liner for the cushions, like a big pillow case sewn from a single flat sheet. just slip the cushions inside it to make the bed.

[suzuz22]

Thanks Floyd! Love that idea, and it makes it easy to fold up and convert back to a table, which we were going to avoid doing daily but I'd love to if it's easy enough. Can I ask what you do for a top sheet? Is that just your mattress pad/bottom sheet with a comforter? I question whether or not my sewing skills are good enough but I could give it a whirl.

[suzuz22]

Thanks Jon. That was one of the first mods my husband made. It's semi-permanent. That top bunk (or my son) are not going anywhere!! We put a pool noodle under the sheet for our daughter on the bottom. They are both so excited, we hang out in the scamp in the driveway often just tinkering and playing!!


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[floyd]

Originally Posted by suzuz22

Thanks Floyd! Love that idea, and it makes it easy to fold up and convert back to a table, which we were going to avoid doing daily but I'd love to if it's easy enough. Can I ask what you do for a top sheet? Is that just your mattress pad/bottom sheet with a comforter? I question whether or not my sewing skills are good enough but I could give it a whirl.

Sorry, it seems that you are refering to my first post which I deleted when saw that it was off topic.
We bought a quilted memory foam topper, custom cut it to fit, then made the fitted sheet for it. We use flat top sheet (a soft blanket when needed) and the quilt shown in the picture.
You could just use two twin sheets sewn in the manner described before for the cushions only use it to cover the memory foam topper.

[Timber Wolf]

Well, since you asked, we have an $85 (no kidding) plus labor set of sheets and mattress pad for the front upper bunk. We are "down South" and my daughter was complaining about being too hot sleeping in, or even on top of her sleeping bag and wanted sheets. I found a suitable "twin" mattress pad (3 1/2" foam with a zippered cover) and took it and my 12 year old daughter (see selfie of her at left) to a local sewing business for "open sew". In open sew for $5 an hour (cheap) you use their equipment and they help you with your projects.

She had previously taken and completed the beginner sewing class there. I sew, but did not feel competent to teach her and know nothing about making sheets, especially curved ones. Her Mother, my ex, does not sew (may have been a flag I should have noticed before marrying her, but I digress). My Mother (Grandmother) was afraid the girl would drive a needle though her finger so refused to teach her. So I was left to get the girl instruction on the street (so to speak).

Anyway, she picked out some sheet material and the sewing place ordered it and I bought elastic locally for the bottom fitted sheet. We removed the foam from the cover and cut it to fit the profile of the Scamp's bunk. Taking it to class they cut down and fitted the zippered cover to the foam and then made a custom fitted bottom sheet and flat sheet. All in for material and class time I have $85 plus her labor.

But what other 12 year old has custom sheets they made? She does not know it, but for Christmas I am going to give her a comforter, she may end of modifying it as well.

For my bed, the back dinette, I just use full sheets tucked in with a twin size comforter and do fine, all for substantially less than $85 I assure you.

[Jon in AZ]

You're a great Dad, Tim!

Materials and lessons: $85
Life skills and self-confidence: priceless!

[D Davis]

Great ideas here! My 2 cents on the double bed, I found that a deep pocket JERSEY bottom sheet TWIN SIZE will stretch to fit the (adult) dinette bed just fine. Works for me, although I have suggested this before to my Casita camping buds and They just don't believe a twin will fit, but it does. Good luck.

[Gilda]

Gilda, fellow "glamper" here...do a search on the FGRV forum for "Gilda bedding" and you will see my previous posts regarding bedding. Note: remember to go to the "Search" button and at the bottom of the pull-down menu you can do a "Google" search. This is the best way to do a search on the FGRV forum.

In short, I cut 1 1/2" thermafoam to fit the bed in two lengthwise strips and covered them each with a cotton jersey fabric and a long zipper around the end. Each piece rolls up and fits under the bench. For the top layer I have comforters or a comforters with a cover (duvet). I fasten together the comforters with buttons and loops so they can easily be layered or removed without the need for a zipper or Velcro and it can be done silently in the dark!

I suggest that, for the big bed, you have a comforter twice the width of the bed to allow for two people and plenty of coverage for both people.

There are sleeping bags that do not slide. Look on the LLBean website for children's sleeping bags. Camping Gear for Kids | Free Shipping at L.L.Bean

[Roger C H]

Don't forget to include a water vapor barrier. A plastic sheet or other impermeable material ABOVE the cushions. A person exudes an amazing amount of moisture during the night.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Don't forget to include a water vapor barrier. A plastic sheet or other impermeable material ABOVE the cushions. A person exudes an amazing amount of moisture during the night.

I have never seen a water vapor barrier on a regular bed mattress unless the sleeper was an infant or incontinent. Why would it be different on camper mattress / cushion?

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I have never seen a water vapor barrier on a regular bed mattress unless the sleeper was an infant or incontinent. Why would it be different on camper mattress / cushion?

My bedroom doesn't have condensation in the morning but the egg does.

[suzuz22]

Thanks everyone. D Davis, that's exactly what we did. Downsized to twin jersey sheets for the "full" and they for like a dream with no alterations. My husband and I even crawled under the covers to see if they were going to be big enough and they seem like they are going to work well. My next issue to tackle is the bunks. The jersey sheets seem much easier to work with, so my plan is to get a set of full jersey sheets and cut them in half, and just run new elastic for the fitted sheet.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!! For mattress pads- any suggestions there? For the full, the twin is too small but the full is too big.


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[Gilda]

For mattress pads see my posting on this thread at #15. You could just cut the padding to size and put your sheets over it without making the custom casing that I made.