Here is a relatively simple DIY Teepee we made. Kids love cubby houses and my cat also loves to hide and sleep in random places in our house. So not only is it such a fun project to do with your children but it brightens up a useless corner in the house, prevents the little munchkins pulling out every sheet and towel in the cupboard to make cubby houses, it also looks great, and fun for everyone.
The finished product got the approval by Mishka the cat.
Placing the bamboo so we could measure out the base triangle. You can also use a square base but we wanted it to be a corner or tripod shaped teepee so it didn't take up too much space in the room.
Inca Mitzi held the tape measure while I drew the line of chalk, this gave us a visual of where to cut and how to fit each triangle in the old bed sheet.
My trusty assistants...
These are the shapes needed for a three sided tee-pee including the door, so two sides are whole triangle shapes and one side has a split for the doorway and mini triangle for the top. (See finished example image)
What you will need:
An old sheet or find a sheet from the op-shop
A tape measure
Some chalk to mark out the triangle shape onto the sheet
A sewing machine
Bamboo poles, i have use three however if you would like a square based tee-pee with four sides you will need four.
Optional;
Trusty assistants make it more fun/ challenging
Feather trim for the seam above the doorway.
Instructions;
First place the bamboo in a standing position so the bamboo sits at equal measurements apart at the base and joins in the centre from the top as pictured, measure out the shape of the base, write it down.
Then measure from where the bamboo meets at the top right down to the floor where the bamboo meets the floor. then the width from the next piece of bamboo on the floor.
make sure to write down these measurements as you go, even better draw a diagram with all the measurements written on each side.
2 side walls will be the same and the other side will be the doorway which is very much the same but has a join about 40cm down from the top triangle point. I had added 1cm for seam allowance each on the bottom of the small triangle and the top of the doors.
Cut a split down the centre of the bottom half of the doorway sides to create the opening
Sew the small triangle to the top of the doorways, this is where to you can add feather trims orr pom pom trim would be cute too.
sew all other side walls together.
Then sew on the base to the two closed sides only. The base helps keep the tee-pee in shape a prevents the bamboo from moving around while the children play inside.
I had then cut some small strips as ties and sewed on ties on the inside of the teepee at the base corners, at the top and one each at the middle along side wall seams, this means the ties can be tied along the bamboo to prevent it from moving.
A great fun project to do with the children! feel free to email for any further questions or instructions.
X
Kaidee