Kids love making forts and tents. The simplest one would be a blanket or sheet thrown over a table. However if you still want to be able to use the table, this instructible will show you a simple way to create a tent for your child that reduces the risk of everything on top of the table being pulled off.

Step 1: Materials

For this tent you will need:
A table
Fabric, old sheets, remnants, or scraps
Thread
Buttons (doesn't matter if they match)
Bias tape (at least 4 yards, more if your table is large)
Measuring tape
Sewing machine or hand sewing needle and patience
1/4 inch elastic
Iron
A child who wants to play in a tent (Or hey I guess this could be for adults as well. I'm not going to judge.)

Basically, this table tent is only a step up from throwing a sheet over the kitchen table. It isn't hard to make but it will use up some scraps or remnants, and it will let you use the table for drawing or eating or what have you without taking the tent down. You could make this as complex as you like, with windows and pockets and doors in every side, or just as simple as four featureless sides. I made each wall different.

Step 2: Measure Your Table.

Measure the table you want to use. We went with my daughter's chalkboard table, its a bit small for a fort but that's what we have.

Our table top measures 36" x 27.5" and it is 22" high. So I am going to be using 2 pieces of material 37" x 23" and two for the other sides that are 28.5" x 23".

Wash and iron all of your materials, particularly if they came from a thrift store. All of the fabrics I'm using have been crammed in the scrap bin so they were extra wrinkly.

Cut out the material you will be using for the walls of your tent based off the measurements of your own table, adding seam allowances if you will be doubling it over. (I did on the quilt top sides) If you want you can just finish the edges with seam binding, pinking, or just leave them raw if you are using a knitted material for the walls.

Step 3: First Wall

This is the smaller wall that will not have a door flap, so I put a window in mine. Everyone loves windows.

Decide where you want the window to be. I made this window in the center of the wall panel, so I folded the panel in half and cut out the shape of the window. Then I added bias tape all around the edges and across the center of the window to approximate windowpanes.

Step 4: Doors

For the door I am using a long strip of fabric to make two panels that overlap just slightly in the centre.

Cut the piece of fabric into two equal strips, and if you like you can round off the corners. Apply seam binding all around the edges of the panels. I used pink and brown because I ran out of the brown.

Step 5: Side Walls

The longer walls of the tent don't have any features but you could add a door panel in them if you wanted, make it in the same way as described in the previous step. I added some pockets to one wall and left the other plain.

Step 6: Layout

Lay the pieces out in the place you would like them to go as in the picture. Now would be the time to add any embellishments like extra pockets, curtains, more windows, etc.

Step 7: Table Top

Cut pieces of bias tape to match the measurements of the table and attach as shown in the photo, A to A, B to B, and so on.

If the table that you are using has legs close to the edges of the table, sew elastic loops and buttons onto the panels to keep them attached to the table at the sides. I have left mine unattached. At the corners where the panels meet I stitched buttons also.