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Need an idea for blocking light from the kids' skylight - RV modification

We need RV advice! The kids have a huge skylight that they love, but we need to find a way to block the light when we're parked under lights (not a total coincidence that I'm posting this from a parking lot). Or when we're on the edge of a timezone change and it's still light at 10pm (like say western MI). And preferably something that doesn't involve sewing! :)
We can run wires and hang a curtain (that I'll totally have to beg someone to make) but I really don't want wires up there all the time and curtains drawn back. Ideally, I'd like something like those reflector deals people put in their windshields. Something that folds up and poof, opens up to the right shape. Does anything like that exist?! Something that suctions to the shape of the sticky uppy window? Like a giant sheet of tin foil, but less stupid. :)
It sticks up maybe a foot, so something needs to curve up. It could just go under it, even with the ceiling, but they'd lose a lot of head room that way. Here's Lizzy up there looking out of it and a view from the side for an idea of how it looks.
ANY IDEAS on how to cover this? (From the inside of course)
Thanks ahead of time!


Comments

colin farr said…
Margy how about having a specially made black waterproof canvas cover made with with straps to clip to hooks mounted at the base of the skylight.The cover would be smug fit to completely cover the skylight but allow it to be a liitle bigger to allow for shrinkage of the canvas. I suggest you have a couple made for future usage
Only problem would be to have get on roof an attach manually all the time.probably about six clips on long sides and four clips on the shorters ends....just a suggestion...this way nothing would block the view from the skylight with any other type of methods requiring housings to accomodate the aparatus involved....good luck Collie
colin farr said…
adding to this.....looking at the inside only other solution would be to have a shade (black material) with spring metal (similar to the ones used in fold up car window shades that fold out) and have the shade fit snugly into the skylight above the reveal at the base of the dome...someone will probably come up with a solution easier than these...
Collie
sssnoo said…
I think the solution must involve velcro. Maybe one of those space age shiney blankets http://safetycentral.com/stpoembl.html

Maybe use adhesive velcro to attach it? It would fold up teeny tiny and would be uber cheap so if it didn't work so what?
The Valentines said…
Our skylights are much smaller, we got the blinds from a camping world type place, you could probably make something similar - attach a roller and use black-out fabric to roll across to a hook. I also made a big cushion that goes in there too, to make it darker.

Curtains - I DID make these on the road for all 4 kids bunks, hemmed them all by using that therma-stuff and bought a cheap iron from WalMart (desperately miss the sewing machine for times like this!) to make it work. Spread a bathtowel on the table and used that for an ironing board - so it's definitely possible. I hemmed 4 large curtains in 3 hours so it really wasn't that bad, just boring! I would probably do something like that or even, for a not-so-pretty fix, use the black out material (you can get it from jo-anns), screw in hooks, eyelet the fabric (very easy to do with cropadile or other scrapbook tool!), we attached S hook with elastic - with a space that big, you could use eyelets on all corners plus one extra in the middle of each side.

I would not have been able to live with that much light above the kids beds for as long as you have - would have made a solution asap!

Good luck, Ali
Linda said…
I needed to cover the windows in our trailer near the kid's bunks, but didn't want blinds or anything where they were sleeping. We ended up using velcro and black pillowcases and it worked like a charm! I'd imagine you could fashion something with a roll of velcro tape and black fabric (even sheets) that would cover the skylight from the inside. BTW, I live in Upper Michigan and found your blog on FB from a link posted by Jennifer Racine Robertson! Hope you're enjoying your time in the UP!