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  1. #1
    bonsaihiker's Avatar
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    DIY Children's Hammocks

    Last year when I took my family on a backpacking trip, I had to put my kids in a tent while my wife and I hung our HH hammocks under a single tarp. It worked out okay, but I didn't like being separated from the kids so much and, let's face it, they were ON THE GROUND. I had a DIY hammock I made for my son, but since my daughter would have to sleep in a tent anyway, he joined her on the ground. I knew I'd have to remedy this soon.

    So, for Christmas this year I made them each a hammock. I tried to customize them to their favorite colors, to make them fairly light but durable and large enough to grow into. I made a simple & light bug netting for each that was easily removable/modifiable and didn't stress my meager sewing skills too much. I made stuff sacks for each, with a face of fleece on the inside to make a warm pillow if turned inside-out (put it on the inside to keep it clean). Each packed smaller than a Nalgene bottle. My daughter's was "silver" colored with pink thread and pink grosgrain on the bug netting, with a pink-flecked ridgeline. My son's was blue with black thread and grosgrain with a blue ridgeline. Their favorite colors...

    I wasn't sure how they would like them, being that they weren't toys. At least they weren't socks, though. Turns out I worried for nothing--they absolutely loved them. This past weekend, since I didn't go to Mt. Rodgers, I set the hammocks up for the kids to take on a test spin. They worked and looked great, they have plenty of room left to grow into, and the kids loved every minute in them. I attached a few pictures below, the rest can be seen at my Flickr site: Kid's Hammocks.











    --Scott <><

    "I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

  2. #2
    Senior Member JerryW's Avatar
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    Well done bonsaihiker! Looks like they turned out great!

    Now you get to practice your DIY skills on underquilts, top quilts and tarps. Spring's coming!

    Jerry
    The "Search" function is your friend!

  3. #3
    slowhike's Avatar
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    Good stuff! I'll bet they liked the custom fleece pillow/stuff sacks too!
    I too will something make and joy in it's making

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Good job on the hammocks! What size are they? I am about to venture into making one for my son as well. Sort of a proto before I go full blown on a new DIY BB. I am thinking it should be about 75% of the regular adult size - about 48" by 90".

  5. #5
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    Wow ... impressive and I know those are two happy campers!

    WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.


    "A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
    Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin


    Home of the Gorge Rats: Linville Gorge
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  6. #6
    Senior Member goodcaver's Avatar
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    I hope you don't mind my saying that those are absolutely and completely adorable.

    Are the bug nets closed on the bottom or do they just hang out around the hammocks?

  7. #7
    bonsaihiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JerryW View Post
    Well done bonsaihiker! Looks like they turned out great!

    Now you get to practice your DIY skills on underquilts, top quilts and tarps. Spring's coming!

    Jerry
    Thanks, Jerry! Glad you like them! I appreciate the suggestion on the quilts, but I can just imagine how the house will look if I tried stuffing down. I do want to stay married, if you get my drift...(pun intended).

    Quote Originally Posted by slowhike View Post
    Good stuff! I'll bet they liked the custom fleece pillow/stuff sacks too!
    Yep. Frogs on the pink background for her, camping scene for him. They just love climbing in those hammocks...

    Quote Originally Posted by jbryan View Post
    Good job on the hammocks! What size are they? I am about to venture into making one for my son as well. Sort of a proto before I go full blown on a new DIY BB. I am thinking it should be about 75% of the regular adult size - about 48" by 90".
    I made each from 3 yards of fabric, full width, so finished size, I'm guessing, was about 54" x 104" or so, hemmed, and taking the whipping and sag into consideration it will be shorter. The ridge line is adjustable on one end, giving me the ability to dial in the sag while they grow.

    I made the first hammock a bit short, trying to make it more "kid sized" and regretted it, as it ended up fitting only my son, and he outgrew it rapidly. These should last a bit longer for both of them, and right now they have a lot of flexibility with regards to sleeping on the diagonal. Being oversized, it seems like the hammocks have a pretty big "sweet spot."

    Quote Originally Posted by goodcaver View Post
    I hope you don't mind my saying that those are absolutely and completely adorable.

    Are the bug nets closed on the bottom or do they just hang out around the hammocks?
    Thanks...I agree. Especially the pink...just enough to be "girly" but not enough to be visible by aircraft.

    The bug nets are open on the bottom. I formed a channel at the midline with the grosgrain, and ran the ridgeline through that. The side panels then drape over each side of the hammock and are held in place by gear, etc. (rocks in the photos) in the corner pockets. They always have something to put in the pockets, anyway. That part is definitely necessary, as the tulle even floats with static electricity. It doesn't take much to weight it down, and it conforms well to the sides. You could probably do better with noseeum mesh, but tulle was cheap and available at the fabric store. The hole size is smaller than window screen, so it should do the job pretty well.

    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk-eye View Post
    Wow ... impressive and I know those are two happy campers!
    Yeah, they LOVE camping, especially in hammocks! Thanks for the compliment!
    Last edited by bonsaihiker; 02-08-2010 at 21:50. Reason: spelling correction
    --Scott <><

    "I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

  8. #8
    New Member Rosomaha's Avatar
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    Thanks a lot for sharing with us.
    Great inspiration!

  9. #9
    bonsaihiker's Avatar
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    Oh, by the way, if you are having trouble seeing details above, bigger versions of the photos are available on my Flickr site. I tried to keep the sizes down on this post, and some of the details are hard to see in the smaller photo size.
    --Scott <><

    "I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

  10. #10
    bonsaihiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rosomaha View Post
    Thanks a lot for sharing with us.
    Great inspiration!
    I'm touched...
    --Scott <><

    "I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

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