Elliot's DIY Hammock Project

It's almost time to close our windows and turn on the air conditioning.  In fact, yesterday would have been a good day to do that.  Instead, we found some shade and set up a pretend campsite with Elliot's first summer project: a DIY hammock.

We had the hammock frame from a purchase I made after graduating from college.  Seriously, after all that writing of academic jargon, I just wanted to lay down under a tree and sleep for a few years.  Unfortunately, the rope hammock I bought with the frame did not last, and since that time we even lost the metal hooks to attach a new hammock.  That frame has been sitting awkwardly beside the garage for years.  While searching for a fun summer project, Elliot found this easy, economical version of a hammock.  He even got to work in his dad's shop creating new metal hooks. (He used two metal paint can openers which he bent into U shapes using a mounted vice grip and a hammer.  Now he wants to learn blacksmithing!)  Empowering Elliot to create independently is the most rewarding aspect of home education and parenting.

Next, we gathered the left over rope that Richard used for my swinging chair and an old twin sheet.

By making a gathered loop at each end of the sheet, securing the loop with a rope and several knots, we then fed a longer length of rope through the loops at the ends of the sheet and attached them to Elliot's hand made hooks.  I secured the ropes to the frame for added security.  Here is the link to the wonderful instructions that inspired us:

http://outsidemom.com/2011/05/make-your-own-hammock/

Happy summer!