Tipi Christmas Tree

Intro: Tipi Christmas Tree

Give your kids a christmas tree this year. One they can play in and make their own.

It's easy to make, cheap and a real eye-catcher.

To be honest, I was building a tipi for my daughter when I came up with this idea. My girlfriend and I were discussing where to put the christmas tree. Since we don't live in a big house, we only had the space for either the tipi, or the christmas tree... and then it struck me. :)

STEP 1: What You'll Need:

1) Wood:

- 4 x (210cm x 18mm x 25mm)

- 3 x (100cm x 18mm x 25mm)

- 1 x (30cm x 18mm x 25mm)

2) Transparent green fabric 140cm width (=standard) x 314cm long

and +- 10m green rope

4) The branches of a small pine, spruce or taxus tree. (We used the branches of a taxus bush growing in our garden)

STEP 2: Build the Tipi Base.

1) First make the two pairs of legs with the four 210cm pieces.

Connect the first pair with a screw at 35cm from the top and the second pair at 45cm from the top.

NOTE:Make sure to drill a small hole before you screw in the screws to prevent the wood from splitting. Don't fix the screw to hard yet, we need the legs to move.

2) Place the crossing of the first pair of legs over the crossing of the second one. Use the 1m pieces to create the bottom as shown on the 3/4 view and the top view. Leave one side open, this will be the front and thus the entrance of your Tipi Christmas Tree.

3) You can use some rope at the top to secure its position. Also tighten the top screws from the legs now.

4) Use the 30cm piece to secure the opening side. Make sure the base remains a square.

NOTE: As you can see on the actual picture, I added some extra fixations in the back corners to keep them in a 90° angle.

STEP 3: Cover With Fabric.

Use a very transparent fabric to cover your Tipi Christmas Tree. The more transparent, the more the christmas lights will shine through and light up the inside of the tipi.

1) Cut the pieces out and sew them together as shown on the image. Leave one side open so you can adjust the fabric while you fix it on the base.

2) Start by fixing the part with the opening to the base. Use staples to do so. Work your way to the back of the tipi. To close the final gap you can either choose to sew it together and fix it with staples, or just staple it.

STEP 4: Tree-alize Your Tipi.

Fix one end of the rope at one of the Tipi legs. Tie the branches to the rope and let them hang down.

IMPORTANT: Start at the bottom of your tipi an work your way up. Like roofing tiles, the top branches will cover the lower ones creating a more tree like impression.

You need to puzzle a bit to get it right since not al the branches have the same size or shape.

When you've covered the tipi with branches, you can fill in the gaps with some smaller branches. Just tie them to the rope or use staples to fix them on the legs of the Tipi.

STEP 5: Decorate!

Decorate your Tipi Christmas Tree as you would with a regular, non-creative, mainstream tree. Just make sure the decoration around the entrance hangs extra well. Make it cosy at the inside since your kids will spend a lot of time in this years tree!

NOTE: When all the christmas joy has died, and the tree starts balding, just get rid of the branches and the fabric.

Use the same plan as in step 3 to cut out a thicker more tipi-like fabric to cover the tipi base.Talk about being durable ;)

Comments

[boltonH]

Making one for my two baby daughters this year thank you very much for putting in the effort documenting this. You are spreading joy in this world!
❤️

[franklinjust2]

Where can I go and get the right pieces, and sizes of wood at?

[JacobS20]

Lowe's

[ToniL8]

Is it easy to store?

[Lisa_M3]

I wonder...Instead of using real branches if I could use garland instead. I have pets and would not want them to eat the tree.

[Riffifi]

i may try this next year :)

[Montycraft]

Also...

ITS EPIC

[Montycraft]

I'm gonna get my dad to do it!

[krivas]

I love this! It looks so cozy and festive.

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

This looks like so much fun!

[copperaxe]

That is very very cool and original!