This year instead of cutting down a tree we began working on a new holiday tradition.

Step 1: Cutting the Canvass

I purchased a strip of canvass 8 feet wide and 6 yards long. I laid it out on the floor and a friend and I drew a half circle 16ft in diameter. We then folded fabric in half and cut out an egg shaped doorway (half from each side). I folded the circle one last time and cut off the point (to make space for the polls to cross). The image below shows my intended design which I deviated from slightly just to make layout as easy as possible.

Step 2: Hemming

I used grommets to hemm the edges because I thought the fabric would be too thick for my girlfriend's sewing machine.

Step 3: Setting Up the Polls

I harvested six birch saplings that were growing out of the floor of a long abandoned green house. I aimed for straight polls about 10ft long and the width of my thumb. I bundled the polls together with duct tape about 8ft form the end. I spread the poles apart and used the grommet holes to lash the fabric around the structure.