Sun sail

Over a year ago a friend of mine told me that he is buying new sails for his sail boat. I asked what he was about to do to the old ones and told him that if he does not have any purpose for those I could use atleast one of the sails for crafting. He seemed to like the idea and promissed to give one to me. Since then I have asked once or twice about the sail but he's never had the sails in any convinient location and after some time I've been embarrassed to ask that again.

So I never did get any sail, but in the past year I've had plenty of time to think what I would make if I would get it. I could have covered furniture with it, like a big footstool and I could have made a bag out of it and then I could have made a sun sail for the terrace. The idea of a sun sail has been really tempting and few days back I was in a store and bumbed into a sun sail, it was very cheap so I bought it.

It was very big though, almost twice as big as I needed. But since it did not cost much I did not feel bad about cutting it.

The sun sail filled our whole livingroom. There were reinforcement in the edges and I had to remove them and then reattach them to the new egde.

It was easy to sew it back up. It was also easy just to make a change, I was able to copy the other sides of the sun sail and did not really have to think how this could be done, the maker of this had thought it for me.

 

Then I had to think how I'm going to tie the sun sail to the terrace pilars. I knew I was going to use rope and first I tied it straight to the pilars but it did not seem convenient and it did not even look that good. Then I thought about expanding the sailing idea and desided to use rope and cleats.

I want the sun sail to be easily removed, if it starts to rain heavily or wind is bad and atleast for winter it needs to be removed. I attached three cleats with screws to the pilars where the corners of the sun sail will be.

And then I practised with some sailor's knots. And now I finally have a sun sail.

Our bedroom can turn very hot since it's towards west and in summer days the sun shines straight in. Even using curtains does not help much. Now the sun sail shades the bedroom window, I hope this will keep it cooler. I love my new sun sail!