Wednesday 4 December 2013

Car Boot Liner...



It will probably come as no surprise to you, that I carry a lot of gardening supplies in the back of my car. To prevent mess and dirt in the car, I've always used PVC tablecloths, but it's always been difficult to make the sides stay up while I'm loading the car. To be more exact, I'm usually trying to hold the sides up and trying to not get in the way of the nursery guy loading the car for me.


So I bought another two tablecloths and made myself a boot liner. It's like a three sided box with a bottom. One tablecloth forms the bottom and two sides, with a part of the second tablecloth used for the back, next to the seat. Imagine a seam in each of the back corners.

It was simply a matter of cutting a rectangle from one tablecloth and sewing it the other tablecloth...
  • Centre the long edge of the small rectangle with the long edge of the complete tablecloth.
  • With right sides together sew along the long edge of the small rectangle.
  •  Sew the two small sides of the smaller rectangle, to the same long edge of the complete tablecloth.
Now the guys can slide the bags of manure and potting mix while I just stand back and watch.


I've deliberately made it extra large, with the three sides able to extend higher than in the photo. They're folded down at the moment. The bottom is also long enough to extend over the tailgate and then fold up.

Not so long ago my daughter rang and asked if I wanted some rolls of turf. They'd over estimated the quantity needed to turf their backyard and had 30 rolls they wanted to get rid of.

I made two trips and filled the back of the car with 14 rolls of turf at a time. I tried to help and load the car, but I couldn't even lift one roll of wet turf... LOL!!! My son-in-law, who was exhausted after a long day, lifted the rolls into the car, while I tried to stay out of his way, holding up pieces of plastic to prevent too much mud getting on the insides of the car. If I'd had my new boot liner, I could have been more help by staying out of his way.

Making my own boot liner was such a super, quick and easy project and much better than buying one. It didn't cost much,  it's a custom fit and it folds up into a small size when not in use. Oh, and it matches my car, too!!!

Now I'm all set when someone offers me gardening supplies.

... Pam

6 comments:

  1. My husband is forever filling the car boot with loads of garden waste for the dump, we could definitely do with one of these liners!

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  2. Hi Pam, I know you love gardening and spend a lot of time on the block. Lining for a car is a must for a gardener. What a clever solution, and oh how practical!

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  3. This is perfect! Before my husband got his truck, we were always hauling mulch and plants in the back of my minivan. And I ended up with a big mess to clean up each time. The boot liner would be good for when animals are riding in the back too.;)

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  4. Oh my goodness, I simply adore this car boot liner! It's such a fantastic idea and the execution is just flawless. I've been struggling with how to protect my car boot from the wear and tear of frequent use, and this solution is nothing short of a revelation!

    Your step-by-step guide is so easy to follow and the pictures are immensely helpful. The tips on choosing a fabric that's sturdy and water-resistant were especially enlightening, as I had never considered those factors before.

    In a similar vein, when it comes to taking care of my car, I pay a lot of attention to its mechanical components too. Just like the fabric you've chosen for this project, it's so important to pick the right pieces for our cars. This idea got me thinking about the significant role bearings play in the performance of a vehicle. I found a great resource, this bearing store, that offers a wide array of quality bearings which has been a lifesaver in my recent DIY car projects.

    Again, thank you so much for sharing this fantastic car boot liner tutorial! I'm very excited to start my own project soon!

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