How to make: a Patchwork Teepee / Tipi

I had the thought to make a Teepee as a present for my nieces a while ago and finally got round to sewing it for Christmas 2015. Like many of my projects I had no idea how to make one but thought "Ah it can't be that hard right? You just sew a few triangles of material together with some strips for poles!"

Oddly I was right, it wasn't too hard but it just took a lot longer than I expected. I used a few different patterns and adapted them to my own idea for making it patchwork in style and I'll explain a bit about it below.

Summary steps:

1. Choose materials

2. Measure the triangles and cut the material

3. Cut the front dooor and edge it with your binding

4. Sew the triangle sections together (and add optional decoration)

5. Sew in the pole strips

6. Wrap washi tape round the ends of the poles

7. Insert the poles and secure the top to make it stand

Equipment needed:

Cotton material, or whatever you want to use (I wouldn't recommend anything silky/slippery)
Sewing machine and thread
Material scissors, measuring tape, tailors chalk/pen/pencil
Washi Tape
Wooden or plastic poles (I used garden bamboo canes)

I used two websites as guides, seeing how they did it and what measurements they used and then adapted my pattern slightly.

How To: DIY Tee Pee Tent – part 2

By Cintia @ My Poppet

[Sew Fun] DIY Teepee Tutorial

by Erinn @ Strawberryswing and other things

Step 1:

After choosing some cotton materials and a glittery chiffon (which was a pain because the glitter went everywhere!) I measured and cut out a template version of what the triangles would look like.

I used the measurements from the Strawberry Swing tutorial of:

55" angled sides 32" base 3 1/2" top (53" from center of base to center of top)

Step 2:

I then cut the different materials into the sizes I wanted using the triangular template.

I decided to make the top section green, followed by squared material and then the gingham pink or blue alternately. I used the pattern that had five sides and five poles but to be honest, I think it would be easier to just do four. So if I ever make another I'll try it with four poles.

Step 3:

Using the 'My Poppet' pattern I made sure I'd cut the front door and edged it with bias binding. I looked up how to do bias binding on YouTube and found this video very helpful in making a length of continuous bias binding. I attached a short length of the binding either side of the door to allow each side to be tied together. It is worth sewing these bits in whilst you are sewing the binding on so the raw edges are hidden.

Step 4:

I then sewed the triangle sections together giving a generous seam allowance as I knew I was going to put the pole strips on the inside by sewing them onto the seam allowance.

I did this different from the 'My Poppet' pattern and then hemmed the top and botttom of the whole thing.

I decided to add cut outs of shapes in the glitter chiffon material for decoration, and edged around each shape with tight zigzag stitch. I turned the glitter side to face inwards so it minimsed the amount of glitter that would go everywhere! It still went everywhere :-)

Step 5:

Sewing in the pole strips of material was a bit fiddly and I tried to find the happy medium between making them wide enough for the pole to fit through but narrow enough so the teepee wouldn't just slump down. I made the pole strips by simply cutting strips of the green material to the right length folding them in half and machine sewing down the run of them (making sure they were wide enough for the poles to slip in and out easily). Then I sewed them to the inside seam allowance of the triangles together, as I think this way is easier and quicker (but maybe not as neat on the inside).

Step 6:

I bound the tops and bottoms of the poles in brightly coloured washi tape just to protect from any splinters an also for decoration.

Step 7:

I inserted the poles and tided them together with some of the glitter material I'd made into ribbon, but I actually found that rubber bands worked just as well. I looked up several ways to lash the teepee to make it stand firm and found this YouTube video the most helpful 'How To Tie A Tripod Lashing Like a Boy Scout'