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Hammock Making Workshops

February 14th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

Hammock making workshops? You mean a real class where you make a hammock?

Yes, ’tis true.

I was casually surfing the ‘net this evening when a hammock blog post caught my eye and I thought some of you DIY’ers might be interested. The Bay Hammock Company is a small hammock manufacturer in lovely Nova Scotia, Canada. They sell hammocks and hammock chairs; and for those interested, you can book an appointment to make your own hammock. Further surfing found the Blue Chicory Garden and Workshop in Lanark County, Eastern Ontario, a working farm, organic market garden and workshop that also offers hammock making classes. Yes, both are in Canada. You Canadians have all the fun, it seems . If ever you wanted to make your own hammock but needed a little assistance, maybe this is an option for you. I thought, “How cool! I could even make a summer vacation out of this!” Husband has close relatives in Quebec and Ontario; so this is not farfetched for me. This got me thinking…are there any other hammock making workshops or classes out there?

A Heavenly Hammock: Instructions To Make a Hammock Yourself

August 22nd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

A while back I wrote a post on hammock patterns for those interested in making their own hammock. That has got to be the number one most-read post on this blog. I really admire all you crafty do-it-yourselfers! Here’s another link to a vintage article, again courtesy of the venerable Mother Earth News circa 1982, on tying your own hammock using common knots. It’s illustrated and shows you how to weave or net the hammock using a shuttle. There’s lots of detail on materials, and the hammock can be sized for one or two persons. Again, I warn that I haven’t tried the pattern myself and cannot make any warranty or guarantee of suitability. But if you’re looking for instructions on how to make a hammock yourself, you may want to check this one out.

Hammock Fabric: Look For Quality Materials

July 26th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

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A hammock made from fabric is a good choice if you have small children. There’s less chance for a little one’s hands or feet to become caught in the hammock. Hammock fabric must be strong enough to support the weight of the person(s) who will lie in it. And if using the hammock outside, hammock fabric should be weather resistant. Hammocks made from fabric allow less air circulation through the hammock bed than the mesh types, so they’ll feel slightly warmer and are great for use in cooler climates. Let’s look at the variety of available hammock fabrics. Read the rest of this entry »

Build a Hammock Stand With This DIY Hammock Stand Kit

June 23rd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Would you like to build a hammock stand yourself? You can with this great DIY hammock stand kit.

It includes all the weather-resistant hardware you need; just choose the wood you like.  The DIY hammock stand holds up to 500 pounds and includes simple instructions.  To build this hammock stand you’ll need wood from your local lumber supply yard;  and of course, when finished, a hammock. The stand can be used indoors or outside. If you opt to use it outside, be sure to choose a weather resistant hardwood like cedar, cypress or teak.  Paint or stain the wood as desired, or not!

Building a hammock stand is especially satisfying if you have sewn, crocheted, macramed or otherwise crafted your own hammock. This is a project you can truly be proud of. So what are you waiting for?  Summer’s a’wastin’…build your DIY hammock stand today!  

Hammock Pattern: Crochet or Macrame, Make It Yourself

June 16th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

You may look for a hammock pattern to make your own hammock if you’re particularly crafty and ambitious. There are free crochet hammock patterns and macrame hammock patterns on line, but they’re not easy to find. If you want to learn how to make a hammock, I’ve compiled a list of websites that offer a hammock pattern (or two!).  One site even offers a hammock chair pattern. This is not an exhaustive resource list; but should be enough to get you started.

Keep in mind that where you plan to use the hammock may determine what cord materials you will use for the hammock pattern.  If you want a hammock for mostly outdoor use, natural materials such as cotton and hemp will tend to deteriorate quickly in the elements. You may want to choose synthetic cords for your project, such as nylon and polypropylene.  Making a hammock is a large scale project that will take quite a chunk of your time.  Use materials that will last so that you can enjoy your macrame or crochet artistry for a long time.  If you plan to use your hammock indoors, you can use virtually any cord material for the hammock pattern as long as it is strong enough to support your weight and can hold a knot without slipping.  The hammock patterns themselves will often suggest weaving materials to use.

I haven’t tried any of these hammock patterns myself;  therefore I make no warranty or guarantee of their suitability or strength.

Hammock Pattern Online Resources

Claire’s Web Site has three beautiful macrame hammock patterns: a classic open weave hammock, a close weave hammock, almost like fabric; and a hammock chair.  She used polypropylene cords for her patterns.  There are great pics of the finished products and detailed, step-by-step instructions.

Alorna’s Pattern Page on Geocities has a crochet hammock pattern. She uses cotton, and bamboo stretcher rods (a nice touch!).

Here’s a beautiful crocheted hammock pattern from Jojo’s Happy Hooking. It’s mostly cotton, but has a lovely weave pattern.

eHow offers a basic macrame hammock pattern.  I wish they offered pictures of the work to give a better idea of the finished product.  As an aside, they also have instructions for macrame lawn chairs.

The legendary Mother Earth News has in its archives a classic 1972 article on how to macrame your own hammock.  Macrame was very popular in the seventies;  I recall knotting a few plant hangers myself… .  For a rustic touch, the author used hemp cords and a couple of strong tree branches for stretcher rods. A lovely companion article is how to tie the 10 most useful knots; a must for macrame, boating, camping, etc.

Hammocks.com offers an article on its site on how to make a hammock.  The hammock illustrated here is woven. (Ed. note 08/12/2009: The article has, unfortunately, been removed.)

There’s a summer hammock pattern on Suite 101 woven from scrap yarns and cotton cloth.

If you prefer to sew, the UniqueProjects site offers a fabric hammock pattern for sewing. This could be really cool if you buy Sunbrella fabric, or other weather- and fade-resistant material. Jo-Ann.com carries a great selection of weather resistant fabrics, including the largest selection of Sunbrella I’ve seen yet.

Canadian House & Home offers two different fabric hammock patterns, plus instructions for pillows.  They recommend awning material for sewing the hammock. Using awning fabrics is good for durability, but I wonder how it breathes against your skin on a hot summer day outside…

How to Make Your Own Hammock and Lie in It is a book by Dennison Andrews that details how to make a hammock.  Many hammock styles, including Brazilian and Mayan, are included.  It is out-of-print, but can be found on Amazon. 

Another book, Hammock Weaving: The Two-Shuttle Method by Carl D. DuBois is for those who want to learn hammock weaving and knotting.

If you need a hammock stand or hammock chair stand to hang your new creation, or want to build a hammock stand, remember and bookmark our site. I hope these hammock pattern resources give you a great start on making your own hammock.  

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