How to Make a Fabric Tent for Kids

Make-believe play is magical and this fabric tent for kids will give them hours of fun to live out their dreams and fantasies. Make a fabric tent for kids to put up in the backyard, living room or even their bedrooms. This fabric tent is very easy to craft with simple sewing techniques and minimal woodworking abilities. Purchase cute novelty print fabric that from the many designs and styles on the market today. This fabric tent for kids can be folded up and placed in a corner in minutes.

Instructions

1

Measure and mark on the fabric a triangle panel. The bottom of the panel is 43 inches wide. Find the middle point of this measurement and mark. Measure up from this point 43 inches and mark. Measure 4 inches on each side of the top mark. Connect between the 4-inch marks giving you an 8-inch line. This is the top of the tent panel. Connect the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel creating a triangle with a flat top. Cut the panel out. Use this panel as a pattern and cut out three more.

2

Sew a hem on the 8-inch top of each of the panels using a 1/4 inch hem.

3

Sew a hem on the 43-inch bottom of each of the panels using a 1/4 inch hem.

4

Measure and cut four casings 7-inches wide by 45-inches long. These casings will form the sleeves to insert the legs of the tent.

5

Sew a hem on each 7-inch side of the casings.

6

Fold the sleeves, matching the long sides, with the wrong sides of the fabric together. Press the sleeves flat.

7

Match the raw edges of one casing to the raw edge on one edge of a triangle panel's right side. Match any another triangle panel over the first with the right side down, sandwich the casing in between. Pin the casing flush with the top of the panel. There will be a small bit of extra panel at the bottom of the casing. Attach the casing and the sides of the tent panel using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Repeat until all the panels and casings have been attached.

8

Mark the center of one tent panel bottom. Cut a 22-inch slit up from the bottom of the panel. This is the door flap to the tent. Hem the edges of the door flap.

9

Layer 2 small pieces of fabric. Measure and cut two 2-inch triangles and pin them together. Sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance around all sides of the triangle. Cut a slit on one side of the sewn triangle and turn right side out. Press the triangle. Pin the triangle at the top of the cut door flap. Top stitch the triangle to the tent. This will prevent the door flap from tearing open.

10

Cut each of the 1-by-2 inch boards to measure 5 feet long for the tent legs. Drill a hole through each leg, an inch from one end. Cut a 36 inch length of twine and double it over to measure 18 inches. Thread the doubled 18-inch length through the drilled holes and knot the ends together.

11

Slip a leg through the top of each of the tent casings. Thumbtack the top of each casing to a leg, 8 inches from the top of the leg.

12

Spread the legs to stand the tent. Pick the tent up by the twine and it will fold back together. It can then be easily stored in a corner.