Not finding a funky, washable, and cheap fabric in the shops, I happened upon some microfiber "Queen" sheet sets at Lider (the Chilean version of Walmart) for 8000 pesos, or $16. The set included a top and fitted sheet, as well as two pillowcases. I bought 2 sets, which gave me enough fabric to make covers for the front and backseat, a cover for the backseat's mattress, and two saddlebag organizers for the backseat, and still have one top sheet and all pillowcases left untouched. Not bad!!
It's also pretty nice that the sheets are microfiber since they are super soft and dry really fast...something that will prove useful to us on the road, I'm sure. I know that I could have gotten a sturdier fabric and everything would last longer, but this will give me an excuse to "redecorate" in the future!
In order to use the fitted sheet, I had to take that sheet apart, which was easy and gave me all the elastic I needed for the seat covers since the sheet was elasticized all the way around. I just kept it in the seam and used it like that.
I was lucky enough to buy a old, used, all metal Remington sewing machine for 40,000 pesos ($80), which is a good price for a machine here in Chile. It price originally was $90, but the shop owner liked me because I gave the machine the nickname "La Fea," or, Ugly.
It the good old days, La Fea would fit in a table and had a bunch of different stitches, but now she only has a straight and zigzag. Well, sort-of a zigzag...she tends to frequently snap her string on that setting, which has made me an expert on re-threading my machine!
She also only operates on full-speed. And her parts jiggle loose and fall off frequently. She's feisty, but she's my girl just the same.
