My first tarp from the "Badlander" kitsapcowboy pattern

**chicondaman** · 02-17-2021, 22:13

I made my first tarp a few weeks ago. I had a super heavy amazon tarp for a while, and then I bought a Dutchware asym tarp, but I just don't like the asym. I wanted more coverage of a hex tarp but lighter than the cheapo, heavy tarp I had. So I decided to make my own. I used the kitsapcowboy "badlander" pattern and the cat curve template from jellyfish's "black cat" pattern.

This pattern creates a tarp that seems like a cross between a warbonnet thunderfly and minifly. It has the wider sidewalls like the thunderfly but with the smaller "doors" of the minifly. The thing I think that can be useful to other DIY'ers is the jellyfish cat curve template. It worked great and took all the nerves out of figuring out the cat curve stuff.

She has her pattern and template at her site: http://jellyfishreport.blogspot.com/...-cat-tarp.html

The "badlander" pattern I used was from this thread: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...=1#post1892046

All you have to do is print out the template and tape it together. The, even though i was using a different pattern, I just had to center it on the edge I was cutting and pin it to the fabric. Then I cut out the curve! I was able to use it for the bottom edge and the side edges. Same template! It is great and I highly recommend that.

Also, Jellyfish's youtube videos reference a "walking hem" foot for my sewing machine. I would of suffered without it since that silpoly is so slick. It was hard enough to sew that slick stuff with the walking foot, I can't imagine doing it without.

I absolutely BUTCHERED the rolled hem but it still works. I did the warbonnet style capped ridge line and it seems ok. I messed up in one spot though and mis-stitched off the ribbon and I had some weeping at that point after two straight days of rain. I'm actually planning to cut off that ridgeline and sew it again with wider ribbon than the 3/4" ribbon I used.

The fabric was a "yellow olive" silpoly 1.1 I bought at Ripstop by the roll since it was on sale.

Any way, I just mostly wanted to praise the jellyfish cat curve template.

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**GilligansWorld** · 02-17-2021, 23:18

Nice work. Looks sharp.

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**ObdewlaX** · 02-18-2021, 09:02

Nice work!

**Crazytown3** · 02-18-2021, 18:03

Just a big, fat YES on that! It looks like it turned out terrific. Both jellyfish and kitsapcowboy have made significant contributions to the DIY folks. It's nice to see it all come together like this once in a while.

Those squiggly hems and such are what make your tarp unique to you. When people (very few people) ask who made my tarp, I'm proud to tell them I made it, and make sure to point out some of the "unique" features.

**piscator** · 02-19-2021, 04:01

Looks darn good to me, Id be pleased with that.
can’t beat making your own gear.

**leiavoia** · 02-19-2021, 18:58

No, it looks great. Nobody cares about the little oopsies. I've made my own underquilts, but tarps are scary. It's like trying to sew snot together.

**piscator** · 02-20-2021, 03:23

Originally Posted by leiavoia

No, it looks great. Nobody cares about the little oopsies. I've made my own underquilts, but tarps are scary. It's like trying to sew snot together.

Or knitting fog!

**Heavyhiker** · 02-21-2021, 08:35

Very nice!

**gamemaster84** · 02-22-2021, 10:29

Nice! And just in time

I just finished my hammock last weekend and I have 8 yards of membrane silpoly lying around for a tarp.

This is a great design thanks!

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**chicondaman** · 02-25-2021, 22:49

Thanks for the kind words. I did update the ridgeline tape by cutting off the original one and sewing the whole ridgeline over with wider tape. MUCH easier with the 1 1/2” tape. I feel better but the test will be the weekend rains that are supposed to blow through.
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