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One of my children has a fun bed with a starry canopy, that we got from Ikea. The other child kept trying to improvise a similar arrangement, but no such thing existed for his little converted-crib toddler bed. Being a creative parent, I thought it might be fun to make my own.
Requirements: It needed to be sturdy, flexible, removable, washable, and inexpensive. Also, he wanted curtains.
This is all of those, plus the requested curtains.
It has become a stage, a secret hiding place, a teaching tool (colors!), a toy in and of itself. Oh, and it's also a bed.
I think it might easily be modified into a playstand canopy above a couple of shelves, but I think some further engineering is required.
NOTICE: Do not use this for a crib-bed that is still in use as a crib. This design is much too low to be safe as an infant crib canopy. Also, if you want to make this for a non-crib toddler bed, you will have to create your own pattern and customize your frame.
Requirements: It needed to be sturdy, flexible, removable, washable, and inexpensive. Also, he wanted curtains.
This is all of those, plus the requested curtains.
It has become a stage, a secret hiding place, a teaching tool (colors!), a toy in and of itself. Oh, and it's also a bed.
I think it might easily be modified into a playstand canopy above a couple of shelves, but I think some further engineering is required.
NOTICE: Do not use this for a crib-bed that is still in use as a crib. This design is much too low to be safe as an infant crib canopy. Also, if you want to make this for a non-crib toddler bed, you will have to create your own pattern and customize your frame.
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Signing UpStep 1Ingredients
Tools:
You need a sewing machine or handsewing needles and lots of time to sturdily hand sew all seams. I also used my serger to finish all raw edges on the canopy, but it's not a requirement.
A measuring tool of some kind - I used a yardstick and eyeballed anything that didn't need to be precise.
Scissors
Materials:
Canopy cover:
1 yard each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet cotton for a rainbow, or an equivalent amount of fabric for other patterns or a solid cover.
Thread - I used black and white on the canopy. It looks fine.
3 yards of twill tape or other sturdy, non-slippery flat narrow fabric (such as grosgrain ribbon or shoelace) for ties
3 yards of 1/2" elastic
Frame:
4 2 foot lengths of 1/2" white PVC pipe
6 2 foot lengths of flexible black sprinkler pipe
4 1/2" unthreaded PVC T-joints
4 1/2" unthreaded PVC elbow joints
PVC adhesive
Duct or electrical tape
Curtains (optional):
1 twin flat sheet (I used the two dollar flat sheet from Ikea)
1.5 yards of blue gauzy fabric
Blue and white sewing thread
3 yards of twill tape
Mounting to crib frame (not shown):
Zip ties, heavy duty and long enough to go around the top bar of the crib.
You need a sewing machine or handsewing needles and lots of time to sturdily hand sew all seams. I also used my serger to finish all raw edges on the canopy, but it's not a requirement.
A measuring tool of some kind - I used a yardstick and eyeballed anything that didn't need to be precise.
Scissors
Materials:
Canopy cover:
1 yard each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet cotton for a rainbow, or an equivalent amount of fabric for other patterns or a solid cover.
Thread - I used black and white on the canopy. It looks fine.
3 yards of twill tape or other sturdy, non-slippery flat narrow fabric (such as grosgrain ribbon or shoelace) for ties
3 yards of 1/2" elastic
Frame:
4 2 foot lengths of 1/2" white PVC pipe
6 2 foot lengths of flexible black sprinkler pipe
4 1/2" unthreaded PVC T-joints
4 1/2" unthreaded PVC elbow joints
PVC adhesive
Duct or electrical tape
Curtains (optional):
1 twin flat sheet (I used the two dollar flat sheet from Ikea)
1.5 yards of blue gauzy fabric
Blue and white sewing thread
3 yards of twill tape
Mounting to crib frame (not shown):
Zip ties, heavy duty and long enough to go around the top bar of the crib.
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All the sewing is pretty basic, straight lines (except for the applique work on the curtains). If you have friends or relatives who sew, they should be able to teach you or help you make your own.
The serger isn't strictly necessary, and is described so in the tools and materials list. Step three gives instructions for BOTH serged/sewn and flat felled seaming. If you do not have a serger, flat fell all the seams for strength. The orange link in step 3 leads to another instructable that goes into how to flat-fell a seam in detail.
Step 4: Look at the illustrations. This isn't a precise pattern because there are so many different styles and dimensions of top railings on cribs/beds/etc. All I can do is give you a general idea of how to make your own, and give diagrams to guide you.
If step 4 confuses you, look at step 5, last illustration, with the finished canopy laid out flat, and step 8, where it shows the frame inserted into the canopy.
Step 9 covers attaching it to the crib or bedframe. I suggest zip (cable) ties because they are sturdy, and can be temporary and non-damaging while offering a relatively childproof solution for attaching the canopy to the bed.
Step 10, illustration 2, shows why the center casing is split.
Sounds awesome!