Kids Makes

Tot’s Tent

Stop those shouts of boredom this summer with this simple structure that will keep children amused for hours. It's very easy to make and has loads of uses!

Requirements

1.5 m of 150 cm wide fleece (1 ½ yd of 60”)
1.5 m of 150 cm wide waterproof nylon (1 ½ yd of 60”)
2 m cord (2 yd)

To make

1. Lay the two pieces of material, right sides together.

2. Sew together along the two selvedge sides.

3. Turn under 2.5 cm (1”) to hem both the unstitched edges.

4. On the waterproof fabric, measure from seam with fleece down to 20 cm (8”) below seam and mark to create four corners (see photo).

5. Cut some of the cord into four lengths of 13 cm (5”). Fold into loops and sew one to each of the marked corners

HANDY HINT: Get an adult to heat seal the ends to prevent the cord fraying by burning ends to melt fibres a little.

When a tent

* Thread the remaining cord between the two layers and suspend approximately 1 metres (3’) from the ground level securing each end firmly to a solid object such as a tree or a clothes pole (or shelves).

* Secure top of the fleece to cord with two or three pegs.

* In the garden use skewers or tent pegs through the loops to secure to the ground. If indoors, use heavy books or stones to anchor the four corners.

Smart ideas

This double layered play tent can have other uses.

* Cover the patio or garden for a safe play area for babies
* With waterproof side uppermost, use as a table cover when kids are painting
* It makes a great picnic blanket
* Keep one in the car for a wet dog to sit on.

Stockist information

Fleece, waterproof nylon and cord are all available from Pennine Outdoor. For details visit: www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk or email: info@pennineoutdoor.co.uk

This project first appeared in Sewing World, July 2001, written by Sue Wilson. Many thanks to Sewing World magazine for kind permission to reproduce the project. For further details of Sewing World, visit: www.sewingworldmagazine.com