Etsy's Handmade Blog
Make a Hammock and Relax
Story by brepettis, objecked
Published on July 3, 2008 in How-To

This weekend, take some time to escape from the business and stress of your daily grind and make a hammock and lay around in it.

 

MP4 | Blip.tv | Youtube | iTunes | PDF 

The Urban Hammock 

Watch the video and print out this snazzy PDF.  Now get to it!  You're going to need a few other materials to create this project:

  1. 3 1/2 Yards of durable fabric. (less if you're shorter than me - I'm 6'1")
  2. Rope that is rated to hold humans.  Climbing rope or that kind of strapping that's used to tie down stuff on the back of pickup trucks. Use better judgment than I did.  Clothesline is not an option! (My butt still hurts!)
  3. Sewing machine and thread.

Make a double folded hem for the sides and a tube at the top and the bottom.  Go ahead and customize it if you like.  On one of the hammocks I made for a friend, I added pockets!

Make sure to take photos and upload them to flickr and put them in the Etsy in Action flickr pool. 

Safety: As you can see in the video, you do this project at your own risk. In retrospect, I wish I had used better rope rated for holding up humans and also had my hammock closer to the ground so I wouldn't have fallen so far! I'm going to go get some climbing rope or strapping to avoid hurting myself again. (I bruised my butt!)

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Tags hammocks, HOW-TO, Patterns, projects, relaxing, sewing, tutorials, urban interventions, video
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44 comments     Login to add your own!

July 3, 2008 at 6:11 p.m. baileydoesntbark

the speedo.....

July 3, 2008 at 6:26 p.m. weirdwolf

Woohoo I'm ready for hanging! Thanks for the awesome hammock Bre.

July 3, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. marymary

Wow, that was so hilarious, I am sitting here laughing so hard! I loved watching you fall in slow motion......oh man hahahahaha.

July 3, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. rosiepink

The hammock is great! Sorry about your fall and we hope you didn't hurt your back. We'll learn from you and use climbing rope!

July 3, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. shopgoodgrace

oh my gosh ... that Kanoe baby hammock is sooo intriguing!!

July 3, 2008 at 7:36 p.m. shopgoodgrace

hee hee! I just noticed the NYPD patrol car pulling over in the first picture - did he/she request that you stop obstructing the sidewalk?! What a hoot!

July 3, 2008 at 7:39 p.m. BlackStar

I'll be in my Pawley's Island hammock this weekend~~~~~

July 3, 2008 at 8:36 p.m. littlepurls

awesome video bre! hilarious slow motion falling. i'm a sucker for slapstick.

July 3, 2008 at 10:01 p.m. fricdementol

ahahahahah brilliant video! :D

July 3, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. Iheartmoustaches

I watched that funny part like 27 times! And I love that you included a banana hammock in your related items. ha!

July 3, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. wildflowerdesigns

cool article, but it makes me sad when you feature an item that does not comply with etsy's rules

July 3, 2008 at 11:06 p.m. wendyvee

Ummmm . . . Bre, I hope they provided you with a "bail allowance".

July 3, 2008 at 11:29 p.m. interrobang

This is... astounding.

July 3, 2008 at 11:43 p.m. KnitStorm

owchies...

July 3, 2008 at 11:47 p.m. dangerousmezzo

Thanks for promoting someone reselling something. Nice job.

July 3, 2008 at 11:48 p.m. aorta

wildflowerdesigns says:

cool article, but it makes me sad when you feature an item that does not comply with etsy's rules
--------
my sentiments exactly.

July 4, 2008 at midnight katinkapinka

cool! i'm totally going to make, like, 567,899 of these for my backyard and invite all my friends over to "hang" out. ROCK!

July 4, 2008 at 12:10 a.m. NOSSUBGALLERY

Reselling a used hanging baby cradle allowed in Etsy? Come on! Please edit yourselves before posting.

July 4, 2008 at 1:25 a.m. brepettis

rosiepink, knitstorm, ya I bruised my butt... I'm fine though, thanks!

shopgoodgrace, the police car just passed me. Everybody who passed me was like, "you got the right idea!" My favorite passerby comment was, "If only that lightpost was a coconut tree!"

wendyvee, LOL!

wildflowerdesigns, dangerousmezzo, aorta, NOSSUBGALLERY, thanks, got it, next time please convo me with issues instead of leaving comments as flags.

aorta again, I still wear the modified shirt I bought from you, it gets compliments all the time. I love it!

katinkapinka, Pleeeeeeeease take pictures or tell me where you're doing this so I can come and join your "hammock in."

July 4, 2008 at 2:33 a.m. whitefluffydogs

hmmmm, I wonder if this is ready for primetime....

July 4, 2008 at 3:19 a.m. 1AEON

haha, just like you said!!

July 4, 2008 at 9:53 a.m. fugsly

If you shove some wooden poles or some such in the ends that thing will be a lot more comfy.

Also, hahaha - I'm waiting to see little gif clips everywhere, lol

July 4, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. sheridesthelion

great video!

July 4, 2008 at 2:32 p.m. urbanlumberjack

I feel awful about it, but I watched the fall about a dozen times. :-p

July 4, 2008 at 2:59 p.m. aorta

thanks bre. thanks for removing the, uh, you-know-what, too.

July 4, 2008 at 4:41 p.m. NOSSUBGALLERY

brepettis says: (in part)

wildflowerdesigns, dangerousmezzo, aorta, NOSSUBGALLERY, thanks, got it, next time please convo me with issues instead of leaving comments as flags.

--------------
brepettis, thanks, I got it, I don't think you've got it. Do your due diligence before you post and follow he Etsy rules so no one would have to convo or wrie you.

And by the way, why is the item in question still listed in the seller's shop?

July 4, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. ebbandflo

the little gif clips have already hit the market!

sir - you are a legend in your own lunchtime!

July 4, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. gemmafactrix

If you shove some wooden poles or some such in the ends that thing will be a lot more comfy.

---

yep, you can get dowel rods at just about any hardware store, and they'll be the perfect length.

July 4, 2008 at 11:17 p.m. annakt

i can only imagine that this how-to video is really a 'how-not-to' video (and associated related items kerfuffles). right? i mean, a real how-to video would be vetted. and would be...instructional and accurate and stuff. right? so this is a joke. it has to be. ...right?

July 5, 2008 at 2:35 a.m. foxaz

thinking about shoving wooden poles in the ends. Old recycled broomsticks would work..

July 6, 2008 at 1:10 a.m. dearbirthday

omg. so awesome. i'm inspired!

July 6, 2008 at 12:48 p.m. elbowyoyo

How sad.
The offending hammock (someone reselling a used one) is no longer featured with this article --- yet it is STILL listed on Etsy.

July 6, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. morriganTOO

You might want to try making this hammock instead: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2007...

It doesn't require borrowing your Grandmother's sewing machine. In fact, it doesn't require sewing at all.

Take note of the rope used, it's a tad thicker than clothesline.

July 6, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. JDStar

OMG, I am SO NOT buying another hammock! This is awesome!

I can't wait to go pick some fabric!

~JDStar

July 6, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. brepettis

MorriganToo, That hammock is awesome!

Foxaz, I like that idea. After my experience, I'm tempted to go even farther and go for aluminum or steel! :)

July 6, 2008 at 5 p.m. mydesertstudio

I'm so completely astounded by this video, I'm nearly speechless. I just have to say, doesn't anyone think about the possible consequences of someone getting hurt on one of these?

Your fall onto concrete might be funny, but someone else's might not.

It all seems irresponsible to me.

July 7, 2008 at 12:07 a.m. foxaz

do you have any permanent injuries, Brepettis? Because there's always Workman's Comp...

July 7, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. Swoon

Hilarious! Can't wait to see the others!! Ebb you are right; I predict 'Petting' will become the new 'Rickrolling' ;-)

July 7, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. LoopyDolls

Ouch! That fall looked painful!

July 13, 2008 at 3:58 p.m. PussDaddy

7/3/08 at 11:47p.m.
aorta says:

wildflowerdesigns says:

cool article, but it makes me sad when you feature an item that does not comply with etsy's rules
--------
my sentiments exactly.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

How does it not comply? Just curious.

July 13, 2008 at 4 p.m. PussDaddy

I swear, I only hit submit once. I have no idea why it posted twice.

July 20, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. natorious

this is hilarious! Last year I made a very similar hammock (out of rip-stop nylon & climbing webbing) that hangs INSIDE my Jeep Wrangler - pretty cosy for middle-of-nowhere desert camping!

Aug. 4, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. prisma

Ohhhh! How hilarious, Bre! What happened at the very end with all the police? It looked like they stopped the hammockvention.

Sept. 27, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. AutumnLeavesJewelry

LOL so glad I found this video this morning, had a great
belly laugh!!! (pssst all you need is one of those blow up
air filled kiddie pools under the hammock and your golden!)
oh and the background music did put me at ease! :p

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