Window quilts

Due to the extreme cold here in northern Maine, I have made window quilts that fit into each window space against the glass. Using the quilts has had a measurable impact on reducing heat loss through the window spaces. We have 9 windows in our main room and 2 ineach bedroom, so heat loss had been quite high.

The quilts are made with cotton covers that can be chosen to match or contrast the room's decor. I make the cover first with an extra inch all round from the inner measurement of each window. The insides of the quilts varies. In the main room I have used thick wool blanket and an aluminium reflective sheet. In retrospect the aluminium sheeting has made cleaning the quilts quite tricky, and future quilts will not have this in them.

The blanket and aluminium are held in place with pins while a tube of material is sen across the back about 2 inches from the top. This tube holds a brass rod, a few inches longer than the window width. Hubby drilled a hole in each side of the window into which the brass rod slips at the top of the window. And there are the quilts.

For the bedroom quilts I used old hand made patchwork bed quilts for the inners, as these are quite thick. There is no aluminium in the upstairs window quilts, so they will be easier to wash in the summer.

During the daytime we take down some of the quilts, depending on how sunny a day it is. The quilts are hung on pairs of hooks on empty wall spaces in the respective rooms. Two or three quilts can be hung on each pair of hooks.

So we are cosy and warm with our colourful and unusual window quilts.