Sew along, tipi or tent? Anyone want to join?

[Equanimity]

I'm baccck, LOL. So my glowing compadres, i ask you, is anyone interested in joining me for a sew your own tent/tipi sew along? I still am wavering back and forth, but am almost settled on a tent or smaller yurt as they are more portable. I am a professional pattern drafter so if anyone wants a pattern for the cost of printing I would be happy to send you one.

The plan to design sew and complete a tent for our families. Cost should settle somewhere around $200 unless we opt for an expensive fabric like sunforger instead of canvas.

So is anyone interested after all the trouble i caused? LOL!!!!!

[KF7EEC]

It depends on where this would be offered. If it was in Vegas, I bet my wife and a whole bunch of people in my ward would go.

[DMGNUT]

I don't recall any trouble... just a difference of views and opinions.
If I and my wife had the time and were in the area, we'd be interested. Sounds like a lot of fun and, just the thought of making something like that yourself would be way too cool.
Welcome back and way to step up to the plate with such a generous offer.
Even though I doubt we'd be available to participate, a great big thank you from me.

And great big kudos to you.

[Equanimity]

I would love to come to Vegas and teach, its not far from AZ, but I just don't have the money to do it.

I was thinking I would do a series of Youtube videos and offer a pattern on how to do it so anyone could do it. :)

Thanks DMGNUT, what an awesome welcoming party you make!

[Highlandsunrise]

I would be very interested in the utube videos. My sewing maching just got back into service after a long down time so am a little mired down in finishing our foam clothing and hesitate to start another project right now.
I second the welcome back and thank you for your willingness to help us.

[signseeker]

I'm not remembering the trouble. *scratching head* I wonder if I was involved...

Anyhoo- Yes, YouTube videos would be coolio shmoolio! :thumbsup:

[Equanimity]

Alrighty! I'll start working, it will take some time andI need to come up with a little bit more money for supplies, but as soon as I get it rocking I'll let you all know!

[thermocouple]

Its common to have a wood stove inside of these types of shelters. I recommend getting flame retardant material. The last thing you want is your econo-canvas tent buring up around your sleeping family.

[Equanimity]

Thanks for that suggestion. I do plan on flame retardent as well as a stove jack. ;0)

[CurtisG]

Interesting. A guy at work was telling about how he took canvas from Army surplus tents and sewed the fabric pieces into a large family sized tent. He then treated it with beeswax and other stuff like the pioneers used. (He was wanting to avoid the modern water repellant stuff)
Also, he bought surplus wool blankets and his wife used the wool to make warm winter clothes for pennies compared to what wool would cost at a fabric store.

[Equanimity]

Remember that the pioneers had lots of problems with leaky tents etc. One of the reasons I am going round, tipi or yurt is because they stand up to snow, wind, and rain much better.

[thermocouple]

We were in a pretty nasty storm in our tipi a few years ago. The tipi was creaking and groaning, keeping me up while the rest of the family slept soundly. Elsewhere in the camp I could hear yells and cries as stakes ripped from the ground and wall tents came down. Tipis are a pain to set up, but a properly set up tipi will handle just about any weather.

[DMGNUT]

Just had our big Scout Jamborama.
President Beck spoke in the am to start things off.
Anyway, lots of Teepees and now I want one real bad... but those dang poles... what to do with them for storage and for transport?
I'm asking rhetorically... I just need to give this some thought.

Thermo, and anyone else on this site who has one, how big is everyone's teepees?

[thermocouple]

Thermo, and anyone else on this site who has one, how big is everyone's teepees?
Ours is 22'. I have seen 24 footers listed in catalogs, but I've never seen one actually set up at a rendezvous. Typically mine is the biggest size you are gonna come accross. My BIL also has a 22', and my SIL has an 18'. Our camp is pretty dang kewl when it's set up.

[Equanimity]

We stayed in a 16 ft one with 7 people and there was just enough room for sleeping bags and a little room to walk around in. So I am planning on 20 ft minimum, although I would like 24 ft. If I make a tipi I might just leave the poles on the bug out property and take the canvas down, although that may not be good if we can't get up there.

[thermocouple]

If I make a tipi I might just leave the poles on the bug out property and take the canvas down, although that may not be good if we can't get up there.

A guy in my ward has a tipi on his remote camping property. He would take down the canvas and leave the poles up, like you're suggesting. One spring he went up there and found that his poles were all severely bowed. Snow had built up all around them, turned to ice, began to melt, and with nobody to clear this stuff away from the poles the constant moisture and weight completely ruined all of his poles. I know about this because I helped him find new ones after this happened. Unadvisable to leave them set up if they are to be unattended for long periods of time.

[Equanimity]

Wow, very good point. We don't get much snow were our property is maybe a few inches at a time, but lots of sun and wind. I think for portability I am leaning towards a yurt now. You can fit everything thing in the back of a minivan (at least one that has all the seats that fold down.;0)

[ghostcat]

We've had an 18 footer for years. I've always transported the poles on the roof of my car, even when the car was a 1987 Ford Tempo!!:cool (2):
We store the poles on the side of the garage elevated off the ground.

[WolfBrother]

Ours is 22'. I have seen 24 footers listed in catalogs, but I've never seen one actually set up at a rendezvous. Typically mine is the biggest size you are gonna come accross. My BIL also has a 22', and my SIL has an 18'. Our camp is pretty dang kewl when it's set up.

How long are your poles?

[Equanimity]

Project is on hold until I can come up with money to pay for the fabric and printing for the templates. Soon I hope!

[Equanimity]

Well I finally landed a job and caught up the bills, so I may just have some funds to get this going in a couple weeks. Look for my next post to let you know what materials you will need for your project. We are going to try for a yurt.

[Equanimity]

Ok I have fabric! I am getting someone to cut the boards for meand then we will be ready to rock and roll!

[DMGNUT]

Although I don't have the time right now to participate, I will be following along with great interest.
Please keep up with the posts.
This will also be a great recourse for folks to look back at later on.