How to Make A Hammock in 3 Minutes

A quick video to illustrate how to make a hammock in 3 minutes (or less).

Materials Needed

1 – 60×126 in Crinkle Taffeta Tablecloth
2 – Continuous rope loops

Optional Materials

The tablecloths come pre-hammed on all the edges, so all that needs to be done to convert them into a hammock is to whip the ends (gather them up) and wrap a continuous loop around the bundle. The video illustrates the “W” whipping method where the end of the hammock is folded in a unique way to create the end bundle.

The second method illustrated in the video demonstrates sewing a narrow channel on the ends and using a zip tie to gather the hammock before the continuous loop is used to whip the end.

The final method I discuss briefly is sewing a channel where the suspension is threaded through. If you plan on sewing a channel, be sure to use the stronger Gütermann thread.

Categories: Do-it-Yourself, Instruction, Workshop

diy, illustration

87 responses to “How to Make A Hammock in 3 Minutes”

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October 28, 2014

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Lucas A

December 6, 2014

Thanks for posting this. I made one for my nine-year-old son using a polyester tablecloth. At first I used the folded and whipped method, which worked great for him, but the line started slipping a bit when I sat in it, so I went ahead and upgraded to the sewn channel and whipped method. Now I just need to make one of your stuff sacks to store it.

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Rand

April 9, 2015

Derek – Is there a noticeable weight and/or comfort difference between the 60×126 crinkle taffeta and the 60×126 polyester? I would imagine that they are pretty close. Other than color, any pros/cons to one over the other? About to take the plunge with my scout troop and start manufacturing hammocks for all the boys to use on an upcoming wilderness trek. Thanks.

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1. Derek
  
  April 9, 2015
  
  Yes. The Taffeta is a nylon material. It’s a little more stretchy. The crinkled nature of the fabric gives it a softer hand. The polyester is going to be stiffer. Some folks may like that better. It doesn’t sag in the middle as much.
  
  Reply
Mike

April 23, 2015

Very interesting video. What does that weigh ?

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1. Derek
  
  April 23, 2015
  
  The weight on a tablecloth hammock varies depending on the material you source. Generally, expect around 20 to 25 ounces.
  
  Reply
Richard

May 1, 2015

Just made 3 hammocks and am ordering more. I want to make a double layered one so I can put my insulation between. Have you tried this with the home made hammocks?

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1. Derek
  
  May 1, 2015
  
  Just sew two blanks together. If you sew end channels, be sure to include both sheets.
  
  Reply
Sean

May 3, 2015

Would a sheet bend work to attach a continuous loop to the hammock itself? Im gifting these to friends and worry about the lark’s head slipping.

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1. Derek
  
  May 3, 2015
  
  If you sew and end channel, it will be more secure and is what I would recommend for giveaway hammocks.
  
  Reply
Erin

June 19, 2015

Derek, Where do u buy your table clothes from? Just use the same ones I’d find at Walmart? Also, I just bought a old hammock stand. I can’t find any hammock to fit it because on each of the 2 ends there are 2 hooks to support that end of the hammock. (4 hooks altogether- 1 for each corner of a hammock). Do u have any ideas for this?
Thank you!

Reply
1. Derek
  
  June 19, 2015
  
  In the post, I link to the tablecloths factory, in the materials section. They have great prices and materials.
  
  Email me a photo of the stand and I’ll take a look.
  
  Reply
houriganterry

June 27, 2015

Nice…just made my hammock in 45 minutes — including heading out the thrift store for the table cloth AND the hardware store for some rope and back home and all set. Thanks!

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augaug1975

June 28, 2015

Have you ever made a gear hammock out of one of these table cloths, or do you have any idea what size would make a good under hammock gear sling? I’m thinking of a small hammock under mine, or under my tarp somewhere/somehow to hold my backpack, etc. off the ground. Thanks!

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1. Derek
  
  June 28, 2015
  
  Yes, you could make a gear hammock out of a tablecloth. Check out the dimensions and information I posted on my recent review of the UBC gear hammock.
  
  Reply
Zac

July 2, 2015

So you could shorten the length of an existing hammock by just gathering a new end further up and just whipping it?

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1. Derek
  
  July 2, 2015
  
  Yes.
  
  Reply
Ryan

July 7, 2015

What would be some sizes I would be buying for a two person hammock I found the material that I want to get http://diygearsupply.com/product/70d-coated-ripstop/ and wanted to know one does this come with enough for a two person, two should I get the uncoated version I had an idea that would justify waterproof cloth, three are these prehemmmed like yours, fourth do you have a diy on making straps because I want to make a complete diy hammock with straps,and fifth what would be the strongest rope you would recommend I thought about para cord 850 and currently it’s my front runner but will be open to suggestions

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1. Ryan
  
  July 7, 2015
  
  I’m also open to suggestions for a stronger material because i wanted to keep my bag in the hammock with me
  
  Reply
  1. Derek
    
    July 7, 2015
    
    A 1.0 oz nylon fabric is stretchy but good for those under 200 lbs. 1.5 oz bumps up a little more strength. Anything from 1.6 to 2.0 is pretty common weight for many camping hammocks. When you get higher than 2.5 oz, you start to get the taffeta fabrics used with ENO hammocks that can hold up to 400 lbs and more.
    
    I’m presuming that by “bag” you are referring to your backpack? If so, that shouldn’t be an issue with any of these fabrics, so long as you don’t exceed the weight limit recommendations. If the autocorrect demons overturned your word and you meant “dog”, well, I’m not sure what to tell you. I don’t recommend that folks bring their dogs into their hammocks with them. Because dogs’ claws do not retract, there is a real possibility that your pet can damage your fabric. I’ve seen this many times where hammocks are ripped through because of this issue. Some pet owners will purchase a separate hammock for their dog and hang it next to them, allowing that hammock to get punched with holes. The lighter weight of the animal is usually not enough to pull the hammock apart, even when riddled with holes. At the Texas Hang I participated in last year, one hanger mistook his dog’s hammock and when he sat in it, it ripped in half due to all the little holes.
    
    All I can tell you is be careful 🙂 Maybe get the toughest fabric you can find (2.5 oz +) and/or be careful about your dog’s movements in the hammock.
    
    Reply
2. Derek
  
  July 7, 2015
  
  By “two person” do you mean a “double” hammock like you see with ENO, Grand Trunk, and others? Let me clarify that a “double” hammock doesn’t mean it is built to comfortably sleep two people, unless you like synchronized sleeping and like being squished together 🙂 The “double” hammock is just bigger than the “single”, usually in width. A common size is 10 x 5 feet (3 x 1 m).
  
  DIY Gear Supply sells a lot of great fabric options, and since you can buy it by the linear yard, what you’re looking for is the width. A 60-inch width is common with many fabrics, but they aren’t pre-hemmed. Plan to hem the edges using a simple rolled hem.
  
  I would recommend an uncoated fabric. Coated or waterproof fabrics are waterproof on both sides, meaning, when you perspire and release insensible water vapor, it will collect inside the hammock. This will create wet, damp areas in your hammock (condensation) that can be mildly annoying or hazardous. Breathable, uncoated fabrics allow your body vapor to be released.
  
  Making straps is extremely easy. You can get the material anywhere (just be sure to check the load rating). Sewing a loop on one or both ends is trivial. I would allow 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) for the sewn area. Use a simple single stitch or a bar tack stitch and sew a few “X” patterns or a series of zig-zag lines. You MUST use tough thread. I recommend the Gütermann Tera Tex 50.
  
  For rope, are you using this as the suspension line between hammock and strap? There are so many options that would work it would be hard to recommend just one without further details. Do you want lightest and strongest? Reasonably priced? A lot of folks use 7/64 Amsteel and splice loops or make Whoopie Slings for adjustability. It is reasonably priced and is one of the lightest, strongest options. Spectra line is also very small, light, and strong. I typically avoid paracord because these nylon ropes have significant stretch when wet, and moderate stretch when dry.
  
  Reply
  1. Ryan
    
    July 7, 2015
    
    First off thanks for all the advice on this and when I said bag I did mean my backpack, the main reason I wanted a coated fabric is that I want to add a zipper so it can be a hammock that kind of has a tarp and bug net just by zipping it, because bugs couldn’t get in and rain wouldn’t either I was going use the rope and webbing to make straps similar grand trunks where it has a webbing part on the end so the tree isn’t killed from the rope and I won’t be sleeping with a partner I just want space in the double hammock regarding the rope I want the strongest I don’t care about weight because I don’t backpack very much I just use it to camp with my family and scout troop the reasoning behind a multipurpose hammock is 1 I’m tired of kids waking me up in the middle of the night to ask if they can use my tarp and either won’t leave me alone till I do and I’m tired of always adding new stuff to my bag not to mention it will help with my troop swinging me because I’m the first set up and last out everytime.
    
    Reply
    1. Ryan
      
      July 7, 2015
      
      Okay so I found a few under the breathable fabrics that are water proof and breathable so I would like for you to help me decide
      
      Maxima http://diygearsupply.com/product/maxima/
      
      Gore-tex http://diygearsupply.com/product/gore-tex/
      
      And then the other one too
      
      Reply
Dan

July 25, 2015

I have an idea that I want to run by you. I am sewing 2 table cloths together so I can fit a sleeping pad in-between. But what if I sew a thermal space blanket between the table cloths?

1. Do you think that I could still get it into a stuff sack?

2. Do you think that the mylar would be a good replacement for a sleeping pad?

3. If you were doing this, what things would be you be careful with or do or not do?

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1. Derek
  
  July 25, 2015
  
  1. Yes. 2. No. 3. I wouldn’t do it 🙂
  
  Mylar is an okay thermal reflector but it isn’t breathable and you will have some condensation issues. Before I would sew it up I would put the Mylar in and test it and see what you think.
  
  Reply
Dan

July 26, 2015

Thank you Derek. I’ll sandwich the mylar but not sew it and see what happens. Do you ever have condensation issues with a sleeping pad, under quilt, sleeping bags, etc.? If so, what do you recommend to minimize this?

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1. Derek
  
  July 26, 2015
  
  No issues with a bag or quilt. They breathe well. Some pads might get clammy depending on conditions. Have you seen my post on a DIY weather shield?
  
  Reply
2. Vernon
  
  December 16, 2015
  
  Dan, I recently built an under-quilt with the thinnest thermo-shield insulation I could find, next I cut a space blanket into 3 in. wide strips, and using a craft store permanent tacky spray adhesive to make a criss-cross pattern with the mylar on the inside of the bottom material layer…..reflected heat…..space to breathe. Seems to work OK so far…
  
  Reply
  1. Derek
    
    December 16, 2015
    
    Any condensation issues?
    
    Reply
    1. Vernon
      
      December 18, 2015
      
      Not yet, but I really haven’t had the time to give it a proper test. I used the same logic that the Columbia clothing people did; as long as you have breathing space between your strips (dots in their case) it seems to negate moisture issues. The thermo shield is between the reflective strips and the hammock; plus the small air space B/T the underquilt and hammock would seem to me to be a high percentage to remain dry (although that is the “just in case” reason I used synthetic insulation instead of down) .
      
      Reply
    2. Vernon
      
      February 4, 2016
      
      Ok, We just had a scout campout (close to home) and it took us down to 34 F…I had no condensation problems, but, I wish I had made it a little longer than five foot, as some parts were always chilly. It seemed long enough when in the laying out stage but shrunk up a lot when the cords were in place (due to bunching I guess).
      
      Reply
Greg

February 17, 2016

Hi gathered the ends of a crinkle tafeta poly table cloth w some nylon cord in the hem and added 7/64 amsteel loops. The polyester failed under the loop I go the sence that the loop cut into the fabric under 300lb load. Is that possible?

Reply
1. Derek
  
  February 25, 2016
  
  Yes. I would rate the fabric at 250 lbs.
  
  Reply