My Creative Space :: Teepee Dreaming

With the cooler (and wetter) weather gradually descending upon us here in Byron Bay, I’m starting to plan ahead for more indoor activities for Melli – along with a very keen soon-to-be crawling baby... (um, I will have to write more on the subject of that “soon-to-be-crawling” baby of mine – she is turning into another speedy gonzales and I just know this girl is going to be trouble!)

So, I’d been thinking along the lines of indoor cubby houses, and now I’m thinking tepees. A home-made teepee. I’m pretty sure it was this lovely crafter who planted that seed.

Byron Bay and teepees. Yep. They slot together pretty well. There’s a strong Native American influence operating in this area, going right back to the Aquarius Festival (the Oz version of Woodstock) over three decades ago,  and there’s many a teepee still to be seen in this town, and in the hills beyond. I spent a few happy days (and nights) playing in proper big teepees in my wilder, younger, years up here too. They’re such fun spaces.

My “play” tepee-making project is in the early phases, my friends. Let’s call it the research and gathering materials stage, shall we? (Not the too-scared-to-start-sewing stage, nooooo.) So, in the name of research, here are a few tee-pee ideas inspiring me at the moment:
From Amsterdam, this Moozlehome teepee I found on Etsy. Dreamy and quaint...

It even has a little window with flower pot!

Another Etsy crafter: Little Birds Boutique. I love the colours and patchwork style of this one.

This is the picture that got me thinking about this tee-pee idea in the first place: Made by Cath at ChunkyChooky. Adorable. And I want that Peace on Earth wall-hanging too ;)

Beach teepee - yes! How gorgeous are these photos? I found these Angel At My Table teepees here.

Found on flickr: This smile and wave teepee: So simple.

And these last two are from a lovely blog I’ve only recently discovered: Childhood101. I reckon I could keep my two little ones creatively busy for the next three years just from the ideas from this one blog! If you have young ones, check it out.

Childood101 author Christie Burnett offers a PDF pattern for making her gorgeous Project Teepee, so I’ve gone and bought it and I’m going to give it a whirl. Christie assures me it’s easy enough - just straight-stitching – which made me giggle given how much the vintage Lemair of mine likes straight stitch! But, if ever there was a project that could handle an all-zig-zag approach, surely it’s a teepee?

My plan is to use recycled fabric – another excuse to hit the op-shops - and these vintage sheets could do the trick. I can just imagine the morning light streaming through that floral pattern...can you see it too?

Ok, wish me luck as I somewhat nervously tackle another biggish sewing project!


x


More creative spaces over at Kirsty’s blog.