Here’s a fun way to beat the Summer heat or the Winter blues: build a No Sew Patchwork Teepee using some easy DIY skills! This project was so fun to create and our whole family helped which made it take longer even better. This was also a pretty inexpensive endeavor because I had a stash of fabric from my compulsive fabric buying days. SIDEBAR: I generally purchased any fabric that was $3/yd or less, regardless of what it looked like, don’t judge the flashy patterns you’re about to see.
My favorite thing about this activity is that perfection is not required. It’s definitely a laid back way to create some fun without worrying about measured angles, precise fabric cuts, or pattern clashing!
No Sew Patchwork Teepee DIY Materials:
6 pieces of 2x2x8 wood
random fabric pieces
drill with a 1/2″ bit
sisal rope
staple gun & staples
Step 1: Drill a hole 12″ from the top on each wood pole, bring into the house for assembly. Run the rope through 1 pole, then another, crossing the wood at the top in a teepee design. There really is no specific formula for this, weave your rope through the holes and ultimately around the 6 poles, adjusting the wood for a basic teepee shape as you go. It was helpful to have a few hands positioning things until we had the basic shape in place. After you’ve wound the rope multiple times, tie it off with an overhand knot or whatever knot you know how to make.
Step 2: Now the fun starts! Lay out your fabrics and start with the smaller pieces for the top. Position them across the wood and then staple them to the wood with the gun. Sometimes we wrapped the fabric around the pole and stapled, sometimes we didn’t. We kept the fabric as taught as possible when stapling, layering and overlapping as we went. Again, there isn’t a specific way to do this, just grab the fabrics you like and start stapling. All my kids took turns choosing fabrics and getting under our feet helping as we attached.
Step 3: Trim off any pieces that seem out of place or are making you unhappy, staple pieces that are too loose for your liking and be sure to take a good look around the inside for any extra loose pieces that certain 3 year olds may feel the need to yank on, you know, should you have that certain type of 3 year old.
Step 4: The kids piled some pillows in there and also want to hang a string of little lantern lights for night time use. I’ve dubbed it the “Reading Teepee” and explained how fabulous it would be to lay quietly in there and spend quality time with books…they’ve embraced that theory but have also informed me it’s a Jedi Temple, a princess castle, and an Indian teepee on the frontier, no cowboys allowed. Whatever it is, I love the colors in what was an empty corner of our living room & had fun busting up my fabric stash while creating something fun!
This would be a fantastic project for Dads to complete with the kiddos, like we mentioned over here.
A few more pics because I just LOVE all the happy colors!!!!!!!!!
The Handmade Home also has a fun take on a No Sew Teepee, I saw it several months ago and it inspired this activity!
Jeanine says
This is exactly what I have been looking for! I have been looking for a home reading escape for my youngest but was not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on one! Plus no matter what the details say, I am certain my youngster would be too big for store bought version. So many thanks for sharing this! I just could not wrap my head around how to get the top parts to stay together Rooe=Genius!
Sarah says
That is really cool. What a great idea for kids!
Carrie says
What a great idea!! So much fun and I love how the whole family was involved in making it! Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
Peggy Humbracht says
A wonderful and easy idea to keep the kids entertained. Thank you.
Nichole says
Well…..I know what I will be doing this summer with all my scrap fabrics! What a great idea and fun for the kids to retreat. You ladies are a wealth of info and ideas!
Michelle Myers says
It’s a great way to clean out the stash for sure…I was just cleaning out a closet and it led to this project!
Jacquie says
Wow! How super cool (and easy) is this! Just lovely!
Michelle Myers says
Thank you! The kids have been loving it so far, especially as a reading hideout!
Michelle Myers says
Fun + easy= happiness! So glad you enjoyed it!
Sarah Mueller says
Your teepee turned out amazing! I love the addition of the lights.
Thanks for sharing at Family Fun Friday – we will be featuring you this week at Happy and Blessed Home.
Kira Lewis says
Thank you so much for the great feedback! We always appreciate it. That one was a fun one, especially for the kids!
Clare says
Wow – that teepee looks amazing! Can’t believe you made it without having to sew anything either.
Kira Lewis says
Hi Clare!
This is Kira and this is amazing isn’t it?! Michelle is SO much better at creative/crafty stuff like this, but I feel like even I could do this and it would be so impressive. 🙂
krisha says
such a fun idea. I love that it is no sew…even though I sew…hahaha!
Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says
So neat! I love it! Finding fun reading nooks is something that I love to do.