Thursday, January 07, 2010

How to make a tent for over your table

This is actually something I made last year but it got locked in a closet and we just found the key again - thanks Isla (she's the one that lost it, not found it)

The tent was my husbands idea after Lilo kept getting frustrated that the blanket we were using over the table was always slipping off.
The table in our basement comes out from the wall and is higher and only has one leg so it works pretty well but I'm sure any table would do.

First I cut a piece of fabric and placed on top of the table and traced it out adding 1/2" for seam allowance. Since the table was taller than the width of the fabric I cut out 3 length of fabric and serged one edge and then I added windows.
The windows are clear plastic from a saved comforter bag (you know the ones with the zippers on them). I cut out a rectangle shape from the plastic and taped in to the fabric - then sewed around twice about 1/4" apart. Then I cut out the tent fabric from the inside of the window. I used pinking shears so it wouldn't fray.
Then I sewed the pieces to the top, overlapping the pieces about 1" (but you could do more) to make doors.
I found the tent was still slipping off the table since the fabric is pretty light. So I used some left over carpet grip stuff, the plasticy stuff that you put under your rugs so they don't slip. I traced the top of the table and tacked that to the tent. It works well now.

It's a fun distraction when it's cold or rainy outside.

I wanted to thank everyone for a great 2009 - I can't believe I had 97 posts and now have 29 followers. Hopefully I can keep it up in 2010.

1 comment:

Alexa said...

Great idea! My nephew who is 11 made a tent the other day with 2 chairs. I'm thinking that a pair of plastic chip clips or grips would be helpful as well to hold onto a slippery blanket!