Tee Pee Tutorial

Okay, I think I've had enough requests, on and off my blog, for instructions on how to make these adorable cutest-thing-I've-ever-made-for-my-girls Tee Pees. Since I didn't take pictures during the cutting and sewing process, I'll just explain the best I can. It's simple and I think anyone who owns a sewing machine can do it. Here goes.

Materials Needed:
3 yards of material for outside
*3 1/4 yards of coordinating material for inside and binding, top flaps, and pocket
4 - 3/4 in. PVC pipe cut to 5 ft. tall each
brown spray paint
twine

*You don't have to have a coordinating fabric for the inside. It will just show the wrong side of the material you used for the outside. I just wanted the inside to be as cute as the outside and be a little more durable. I know you can get twill fabric that already has two sides to it. Do whatever you want.

If you are using two materials like I did, treat them as one. So, I put the two materials together when I cut and sewed them. It's a good idea to baste or pin them together.

Cut 2 rectangles measuring 54" x width of material.

Lay a rectangle out and fold the material from the top center down to the bottom right hand corner (you want to fold length-wise, so the triangle measures 54" high). This will make a right triangle. Finger press or iron. Cut the triangle out. Fold again from the top center down to the bottom left hand corner. Finger press or iron. Cut triangle out. Do the same thing with the other rectangle. When you've finished with both rectangles, you will have 4 right triangles and 2 isosceles triangles (I hope this makes sense).

Put 2 right triangles together RST (right sides together) and sew down the middle (the straight side) leaving 25 inches from middle to the top for the opening. Press seams open. Hem raw edges of opening and bottom by pressing a 1/4 inch seam and then another 1/4 inch seam over that. Stitch closed (again, I hope this makes sense).


Put the other 2 right triangles together RST and sew down the middle, this time sewing all the way down (this is the back of the tee pee). Press seams open and hem the raw edges of the bottom as explained above.

Hem the two isosceles triangles the same way as the front and back. Then sew the two isosceles triangles to the front of tee pee. Stop sewing 5 inches from the top (this is where the PVC pipes will come out the top). Sew sides to the back (again, making sure to stop 5 inches from the top). Press seams open.

To make slots for the PVC pipes, sew 3/4 inches in on all four sides (make sure you don't sew the back because I did once). Start from the bottom of the tee pee and stop when you reach the middle of the triangle at the top (man, I hope this isn't confusing).

It's hard to see the stitching, but this is how far you sew for the piping to go in.

This is optional, but because the edges on the top flaps are raw, I decided to take my remaining material from the inside of the tee pee and bind around each flap. This just gave it a more finished look.


I had some extra material so I also made a pocket in the inside of the tee pee. I figured my girls would like to store their little treasures in there.


Spray paint your PVC pipes, let dry, and insert into slots. To keep pipes in place, I tied twine around the pipes and then again around the outside material.

I hope this was helpful! Good luck and have fun!