How to Make Your Own Hammock

A backyard hammock is a wonderful addition to any home. What's great about them besides their comfort is the ease of making them. There are lots of different ways to make hammocks - from macrame creations to fabric designs. And there are hammocks that hang between trees or ones that have a stand.

One of the quickest ways to make a hammock is to purchase a set of curtains that have the tab top. Some curtains have a rod pocket where you place the curtain rod to hang the curtains. Others are made with tabs along the top, with spaces in between, to slide onto the rod. The tab top curtains are perfect for this project. Try to find curtains in fabrics that are not sheer and do not have the rubber backing.

Position the curtain panels to where one is on top of the other, with the tabs hanging at opposite ends. Make sure the curtains are placed back-to-back. Pin the curtains together. Stitch around the perimeter of the curtain set making sure the tabs remain dangling from the two ends. Thread your hammock rope through the tab tops at each end and hang from tree or place on hammock stand.

A sheet can also make a fabulous hammock. Fold a sheet in half lengthways. The sheet can be any size but the larger the sheet, of course, the larger the hammock. Stitch the three sides of the sheet together. It's not necessary to turn the sheet inside-out before stitching but you can if you want a neater appearance at the seams.

Use 2" wide seam tape or 3" wide strips of fabric to make a pocket for the rope. If you're using fabric strip fold and iron a half-inch under on each side. Now lay the seam tape or fabric strip onto one end of the sheet, at the edge. Stitch down each side of the seam tape but leave the ends open. Add the seam tape "pocket" to each end of the sheet.

Use a large safety pin to feed the rope through the pocket on the sheet. To make things easier you can also stitch the rope into the pocket. To do this, lay the rope on the end of the sheet, place the seam tape over it, then sew down each side. It's much easier to sew the rope into the pocket.

Tie the sheet between trees or tie onto hammock stand. Scrunch the sheet down to where it's gathered on each end. To make huge hammocks sew two full or queen size sheets together. You'll love your new hammock and it'll be the most comfortable hammock ever because you made it!