TeePee

Updated McTeepee Directions

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Materials Needed for the Basic Teepee

1)  Two flat sheets (full or queen size).

2)  Large spool of thread

3)  6 quality thumbtacks.

4)  Six 78 “ teepee stakes for a six panel teepee. (Five stakes for a smaller five panel one.)

(If desired..  Clothes line type rope and a few feathers for ends of rope )

Cutting Directions

Side Panels

1)      Open each sheet and lay flat on floor.

2)      With the wider hems at the top or bottom I folded the sides of the sheet so that the straight edge of the Main Panel pattern piece could lie along the fold… thus making two identical sides to a seamless panel. (You will need four  Main Panels for the 5-panel tent and five Main Panels for the 6-panel tent.

3)      I was able to cut three panels of teepee out of one flat sheet and two out of the second sheet for a total of five side panels.

Front Panel  with “door” opening

For the front panel you will be using three pieces. (2 of Lower Front pattern piece and 1 of the Upper Front pattern piece.)

1)      Place the Upper Front pattern piece on a fold (if yours indicates to) of fabric … pin and cut.

2)      Place Lower Front pattern piece  along a hemmed edges of folded fabric... pin & cut.

Top Band of Teepee Panels – (made as if it were a waist band on a skirt).

1)      Cut one of fabric of choice at least 3” x 28” for the top band of a 6 panel tent or 3”x 23 ½” of a 5 panel tent.

Sewing Instructions

Front Opening Panel

1)      Starting at outer edge pin top edge of Upper Front rights sides together with 2 Lower Front pieces of lower front.  (There may be an overlap of teepee front opening. ) Sew Upper Front and Lower Front pieces together. 

2)      Press with seam up.

3)      I sew two rows of topstitching on “bodice” of teepee J for a finished look.

4)      If ties are desired for a closing in front … sew where desired.

Side Panels

1)      Starting at hem on floor edge of panels, pin right sides together of the front panel to  the remaining four or five Main Panels to each other along seam lines 

2)      Sew ½” seams… press if desired.

Attaching Top Band of Teepee

1)      Fold narrow ends of piece ½ inch and stitch.

2)      Fold and press about 1 ¼ inch of one long side.

3)   Pin right side of not fold side of band to inside of tent top

4)   Fold band over top of tent and pin with folded edge on the right side of tent…    just below the first stitch line of the band.

5)  Top stitch on the right side of tent band… just above the folded edge.

(For strength and a more finished look, I like to make another row of top stitching about ¼” above the first row of top stitching. )

Casings for Teepee Stakes

1)      Mark 2 1/3+ inches on sewing machine.

2)      Using this 2 1/3 inch mark, sew to form casings for stake by sewing together the panel seams on the outer edge… sew the complete length of two panels sewn together 2 1/3 inch in from the seamed edge. Use backstitch to reinforce the top and bottom of each casing using a back and forth stitch.

Assembling Teepee

1) Sand and possibly varnish teepee stakes. Air dry.

2) Insert 72” long stakes into the casings.

3) Stand teepee up by spreading the stake bottoms and supporting the tops with the pressure of the stakes upon each other.

4) Pull teepee fabric to desired height on stakes… then thumb tack in place.

I will let you know when we have worked out an improved top for our teepee stakes.

Questions? Call Lois McAllister (309) 453-3146 or 266.8656 (home)