I hate to ask this but

[MrClean417]

You'll need something to suspend it with. Where are you going to suspend? I sleep in mine every night and have hooks into the walls of my bedroom. I merely carabiner my suspension to the wall. My suspension is whoopies but before I made them I was just using some rope that I'd purchased at Lowes. It was stretchy but worked. Just tied it off the right length and then move a biner every morning to the other hook and fold the hammock up each day. You can probably order amsteel if you want to make whoopie slings OR you can Larks head a loop to the end of your hammock and do a strap suspension with d rings for adjustment.

So, really you need to decide on your suspension. Just to make the hammock you only need ripstop, thread, needles/machine and some type of line to run through the channel and tie. I used heavy cord that I bought from lowes. The stress is on the knot created by the cord not the cord itself. It's synthetic so it won't rot.

To make the hammock you'll only need to hem all 4 sides and then fold over the ends far enough to make the channel and essentially hem two more times. That's the easiest sewing there is if it wasn't so long. Harder part is laying everything out straight. Not the long edges, we'll just go by factory for those, but cutting the ends 90 degrees can be fun with fabric that would rather scoot then cut. Lot easier to cut plywood square, but thats essentially what we're doing here.

To get everything in one order you'll need to decide on what goes between the knots on the end of the hammock and the suspension points.

[NewtonGT]

You'll need something to suspend it with. Where are you going to suspend? I sleep in mine every night and have hooks into the walls of my bedroom. I merely carabiner my suspension to the wall. My suspension is whoopies but before I made them I was just using some rope that I'd purchased at Lowes. It was stretchy but worked. Just tied it off the right length and then move a biner every morning to the other hook and fold the hammock up each day. You can probably order amsteel if you want to make whoopie slings OR you can Larks head a loop to the end of your hammock and do a strap suspension with d rings for adjustment.

So, really you need to decide on your suspension. Just to make the hammock you only need ripstop, thread, needles/machine and some type of line to run through the channel and tie. I used heavy cord that I bought from lowes. The stress is on the knot created by the cord not the cord itself. It's synthetic so it won't rot.

To make the hammock you'll only need to hem all 4 sides and then fold over the ends far enough to make the channel and essentially hem two more times. That's the easiest sewing there is if it wasn't so long. Harder part is laying everything out straight. Not the long edges, we'll just go by factory for those, but cutting the ends 90 degrees can be fun with fabric that would rather scoot then cut. Lot easier to cut plywood square, but thats essentially what we're doing here.

To get everything in one order you'll need to decide on what goes between the knots on the end of the hammock and the suspension points.

well what I was thinking was to use this set of whoopies i got for a PIF. but ive never used a whoopie sling before so I dont know how to do that either

[Ramblinrev]

My guidelines for sewing machines thread in my signature has been helpful for some folks. I also have an introductory vid series dealing with the basics of thread injecting.

[MrClean417]

Use the whoopies then. One side has a tail, that's your adjustable side and depending on how long you ordered there is a minimum distance they go down to and a maximum they will expand., you simply push on one side to make it slide towards the other.

The other side has a bury, it's just a loop. You will make a larks head knot with that side and put it over the knot on your hammock. Do the same to the other side and your done. Don't sweat it, I"ve got your instructions on how to do it in video form thanks to Shug. It's at 6:30 in THIS video.

You'll now need to have some straps to hook to a tree and a couple of pegs or pinky sized sticks to make a Marlin Spike Hitch. Length of your straps will depend on the size of trees you will be hanging from and the distance left over between them and the lengths of your Hammock/Whoopie slings. Marlin Spike hitch is explained at about 3 minutes by Shug in THIS video. It's the first of his series of Hammock How Tos. You should probably take half a day and watch them all. He also references Griz's videos, Professer Hammock on You tube. They are also a good source of information as is Youtube in general.
Ed Speer sells a book that covers Hammocks how tos in print. Now, it's not quite up to date with all the new bells and whistles but it wasn't written yesterday like many of the posts on this website. But it gives you the meat and potatoes making you capable to hammock anywhere in the world. His book shows you how to tie a knot in your hammock fabric instead of a Knottys channeled end method. Hey, your in the wild, you've got basic material and no sewing machine, Make a hammock with no sewing. Ed tells you how he used a Hammock for years.


Your answers is answered and future ones caught up with in them thar vids and sites. Shoot, you done forced my hand and peaked behind the internet curtain to find I don't know anything and I'm in fact a 9 year old boy with a Napoleon complex and an extra nostril. The internet is the only way I can talk with normal people. Well, without the irritating whistle OR a 1/4 inch round wine cork. I just reference these sources and act like I knows it all.

Really, though i dropped you into Shug's videos in reverse order, 3 then 1, watch his series, then watch all 119 of them. Shug is an entertainer and an informer. Griz's videos are probably more informative BUT I haven't seen him juggle yet. You'll want to watch them too. Then just stay tuned to this site. The forerunners of lightweight hiking are here and even if all you're ever going to do is hang out in the backyard from time to time, you'll see info pop up that you can use to do that.

[NewtonGT]

Use the whoopies then. One side has a tail, that's your adjustable side and depending on how long you ordered there is a minimum distance they go down to and a maximum they will expand., you simply push on one side to make it slide towards the other.

The other side has a bury, it's just a loop. You will make a larks head knot with that side and put it over the knot on your hammock. Do the same to the other side and your done. Don't sweat it, I"ve got your instructions on how to do it in video form thanks to Shug. It's at 6:30 in THIS video.

You'll now need to have some straps to hook to a tree and a couple of pegs or pinky sized sticks to make a Marlin Spike Hitch. Length of your straps will depend on the size of trees you will be hanging from and the distance left over between them and the lengths of your Hammock/Whoopie slings. Marlin Spike hitch is explained at about 3 minutes by Shug in THIS video. It's the first of his series of Hammock How Tos. You should probably take half a day and watch them all. He also references Griz's videos, Professer Hammock on You tube. They are also a good source of information as is Youtube in general.
Ed Speer sells a book that covers Hammocks how tos in print. Now, it's not quite up to date with all the new bells and whistles but it wasn't written yesterday like many of the posts on this website. But it gives you the meat and potatoes making you capable to hammock anywhere in the world. His book shows you how to tie a knot in your hammock fabric instead of a Knottys channeled end method. Hey, your in the wild, you've got basic material and no sewing machine, Make a hammock with no sewing. Ed tells you how he used a Hammock for years.


Your answers is answered and future ones caught up with in them thar vids and sites. Shoot, you done forced my hand and peaked behind the internet curtain to find I don't know anything and I'm in fact a 9 year old boy with a Napoleon complex and an extra nostril. The internet is the only way I can talk with normal people. Well, without the irritating whistle OR a 1/4 inch round wine cork. I just reference these sources and act like I knows it all.

Really, though i dropped you into Shug's videos in reverse order, 3 then 1, watch his series, then watch all 119 of them. Shug is an entertainer and an informer. Griz's videos are probably more informative BUT I haven't seen him juggle yet. You'll want to watch them too. Then just stay tuned to this site. The forerunners of lightweight hiking are here and even if all you're ever going to do is hang out in the backyard from time to time, you'll see info pop up that you can use to do that.

thats extremely informative. thankyou very much. Ill get right on watching those videos sir

[G.L.P.]

I have a $80 brother i got at wally world 2 years ago and it's still running strong and i make alot of gear on mine ...

as long as you take care of it a cheaper TI will do fine ... now if i was going to be using it every day non stop i would get a better TI but for a DIYer looking to start out sewing a cheap one is fine... look at reviews and pick one that has the best reviews ...

[KerMegan]

If your sister sews, she might be willing to loan you one of her machines, or someone in your family/friends circle might have a TI (thread Injector) sitting in a closet not being used, and be willing to give/lend sell it for next to nothing...just a thought on keeping costs low!
KM(who is scottish by heritage, and thrifty by inclination...as to a connection between these two facts, who can say?)

[NewtonGT]

If your sister sews, she might be willing to loan you one of her machines, or someone in your family/friends circle might have a TI (thread Injector) sitting in a closet not being used, and be willing to give/lend sell it for next to nothing...just a thought on keeping costs low!
KM(who is scottish by heritage, and thrifty by inclination...as to a connection between these two facts, who can say?)

she sews but she sold he last machine. Ive asked a few in my family and have gotten poor results.

[hiker_DC]

When you are looking at sewing machines keep this in mind. I am on my second machine and have found that one that has an automatic thread tension setting has saved much frustration and foul language.

As far as getting a hammock going, I would pick up some amsteel from Redden Marine (be sure to use the discount code "Hammockforum" if it still works) and some polyester webbing from BWDD or Arrowhead Equipment. To make the suspension even easier, I would also look at some descender rings or buckles also from Arrowhead.

[GvilleDave]

Newton - aside from the RS, thread and Whoopies you will probably want to make a structureal ridgeline. I use amsteel for mine but many around here seem to go lighter w/ dynaglide or 2.2 mm zing it.... I just make a length with spliced eyes at each end. For me a fixed length of 102" - 108" seems to work great depending on my hammock length.

To in stall just run the ridgeline through the gathered knot at each end of the hammock and after larks heading the WS to the hammock you run the WS through the fixed loop in the ridgeline. Super simple.