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Sewing Your Own Tent

If you are looking for a fun project that will offer a challenge and a useful outcome, consider building your own tent. This project can be an opportunity for bonding time with a friend or a child. The United States military has used basic two-person canvas tents extensively, as they are easy to pack and set up.

Things You'll Need

Heavy canvas
Scissors
Canvas-rated sewing needle
Thread
Metal buttons

Instructions

- 1
  Cut two pieces of canvas that each measure 104 inches by 80 inches, using scissors.
- 2
  Fold the outer edges of the fabric over 2 inches to form a flap. Sew the flap down starting at 1/4 inch into the fabric to form a seam using a strong polyester thread or filament and canvas-rated sewing needle. Completing this with both pieces of fabric will yield two 4 foot by 6 foot sections.
- 3
  Cut a button hole every 6 inches into the 2-inch flap of one of the longer sides of one section. Sew around each hole with a loose baste stitch to prevent the fabric around the hole from fraying.
- 4
  Sew metal buttons on the opposite section to correspond with the button holes in the first section.
- 5
  Button the sections together and suspend the tent in the upright position. Position the sections over a stand made with two wooden poles set on both sides of the inside of the tent. Stretch a rope between them.

Sewing