How to Make Handmade Hammocks With Patterns

Familiarize Yourself

• 1

  Practice making something simple using the method(s) you plan to use for hammock construction. For instance, crochet an open-weave blanket using heavy twine or macramé cord. Pay close attention to the qualities of strength, elasticity and ease-of-use. Become familiar with all necessary knots and tools.

• 2

  Study several patterns on basic hammock design. Look at different methods of construction checking out both the instructions and finished products.

• 3

  Make a hammock using a single repeating pattern. This will give you a feel for what is possible. When you’re comfortable with what you’re doing, start thinking of ways to vary the patterns using other knots, materials and approaches.

Net-Style Hammock

• 4

  Cut 3 feet of twine/cord. Knot the ends to form a beginning loop. Hang the loop from a nail or hook. Load the shuttle with a length of remaining cord, taking care not to overwind for the first row of netting. Secure the free end with a loose knot.

• 5

  Cast onto the gauge stick. Hold it in your left hand while wrapping the shuttle around it once, going downward in the front and upward in the rear. Next, pull the shuttle through the beginning loop. While holding the shuttle cord loop tightly to the gauge stick, make half-hitches on either side securing the beginning loop. Repeat this 20 times, for a total of 20 loops on your gauge stick. Check your loops to ensure they strong, tight and even.

• 6

  Remove the gauge stick and rotate your work to your right side. Place the gauge stick in your left hand just below your finished work to begin Row 1. Wrap the shuttle around the gauge stick, downward in front and upward in rear, through the first loop and around the first half-hitch. Repeat across. Add cord to shuttle capacity, as needed.

• 7

  Continue in same fashion for each successive row. Free the beginning cord by cutting it loose when you finish off Row 2. Thread a thin dowel or stick through the loops of Row 1 to support it while you continue to work.

• 8

  Place a marker at least every fifth row to help keep track of row numbers. A safety-pin, paperclip or colored scrap of yarn works well. Each time you place a marker, test strength, tightness and evenness of work. A length of 7 feet should be about 54 rows, but this will vary according to size of shuttle and gauge stick.

• 9

  Drill 20 holes across each wooden strut. Space them 2½ inches from strut ends and evenly across length. The diameter should be about a ¼ inch, but adjust to size of cord. Next, measure and cut 40 lengths of cord, 50 inches each. Loop one cord through a ring and thread ends through hole in left side of strut. Tie ends in overhand knot through left loop of netting. Repeat across strut. Similarly, finish opposite end with second strut.

• 10

  Braid the stabilizing cords. Measure length of hammock sides and cut six cord lengths 10 percent longer than side lengths. Make two three-cord braids. Attach each through the side end hole of the wooden strut. Weave the braid in and out along the edge of hammock and attach through opposite side end hold of wooden strut