How to Make a Sioux Teepee Project
Teepees bring an air of Native American authenticity to both creative play and outdoor camping experiences. Making a Sioux teepee project is a lesson in cooperation and team work as participants learn that many hands make light work. The scope of the project will depend on whether you want it for display, play or practical use. Incorporating the wide smoke flaps of a Sioux teepee is key to distinguishing your teepee project from other tribal syles.
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Things You'll Need
- 11 to 24 thick bamboo poles, 8 feet or more in length
- Fine-tooth saw, sharp
- tapestry needles
- kite string or imitation sinew
- blankets or bed sheets
- 11 to 24 thick bamboo poles, 12 feet or more in length
- Chalk
- String
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- 11 to 24 wooden stakes
- Sisal rope
- 5 dowels, 1/2-inch diameter and 18 inches long
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Seam sealant
- Waterproofing spray
Instructions
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Select the size of the teepee based on space available and planned use. A child's teepee can be six to twelve feet depending on the size of the child; a teepee that you plan to use as an outdoor tent should be 16 to 24 feet, depending on how many you need to sleep. Cut bamboo poles with a sharp, fine-tooth saw about 24 inches longer than the planned height of the teepee, from ground to apex.
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2
Sew blankets or bed sheets together at the edges using tapestry needles and kite string or imitation sinew to form one sheet large enough to trace a semi-circle with the radius of the height of the teepee. Cut a piece of string to the length of the radius and tie a piece of chalk on the end. Place the free end of the string at the centerpoint and ask a partner to hold it in place while you draw the chalk line for the semi-circle. Outline a large triangular flap along the straight edge at both ends for smoke flaps. Cut along the chalk lines and reserve any extra fabric for later. Sew a small triangular piece to the corner of each flap to make a pocket.
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3
Set up three bamboo poles as a tripod in an equilateral triangle and lash them together with sisal rope at the apex, leaving about 24 inches extending above. Rest more bamboo poles against the apex and lash them to the base tripod support. Arrange them in even spacings around the diameter of the teepee. If it is an outside teepee, lash another length of rope to the lower end of each pole and stake each one to the ground for more stability.
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4
Drape the cover around the pole supports and mark the apex and where the edges join. Take it down, roll it up and cut a small hole at the apex point and bottom along one of the edges. Thread a length of sisal rope through each hole. Decide where the front of the teepee is and tie this edge to one of the adjacent poles. Enlist several hands to help walk the cover around the teepee and hold it in place.
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Cut a large oval opening between the two front poles as an entrance. Starting just below the smoke flap and working down to the top of the entrance, cut a series of small holes opposite one another through both layers where the cover overlaps. Thread a length of 1/2-inch doweling through each pair of holes to secure the cover in place. Insert a bamboo pole into the corner pockets on the smoke flaps. Brace the poles at an angle along the sides of the teepee with rope lashings and stakes so that the flaps stand up straight.
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Paint Sioux designs on the outside of the cover, if desired. Apply seam sealant to the joins and spray the whole teepee with waterproofing spray.
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Tips & Warnings
Other teepee cover options include sewing together large, brown paper grocery bags or sturdy white or brown cloth, such as canvas or heavy nylon. Cut the semi-circle to the dimensions for your chosen teepee size. If you plan to use the teepee outside, spray the cover with waterproofing and treat the seams with seam sealant, after you paint any desired designs.
