It is true. I love 30 Minute Crafts. But every now and then I take on an epic project. This is one of those projects. It is so epic, it started more than a year ago…
Last year, I sent my mom an e-mail to the PVC Pipe Playhouse that Angry Julie Monday built. I thought it would be fun to “whip up” a couple, give them to her grandkids, and I’d sew fun covers.
Fast forward a couple months, and I have a house full of family. My mom whips out print-outs from my e-mail, and talks about running to Lowes to buy pipe and fittings. And before I know it, I have a PVC pipe playhouse standing in my livingroom. I have learned that it is impossible to over-estimate the energy for getting things done that is activated when my mom and her sister get together.
But, being 5 months pregnant, and it being only days before Christmas, I opted out of sewing covers. But now it is a year later, and I have no excuses, so I’m getting to work. I started by pulling out the pipes and putting the playhouse back together.
Before leaving, my mom had labeled all the joints so I would know exactly how to put it back together. Her number system helped, but I could only see numbers on one side of the pipes, and had to keep sorting through them to find the pipe I needed. So, after putting the playhouse back together, I started re-marking the joints.
Yes. I marked them with Washi tape. I got out all the different tapes I had to mark the intersections. This way, I will be able to very easily see which pieces go together. And, it gives me an excuse to buy more washi tape. I need 14 different tapes… the rest are on their way!
For the roof and walls, I went to Ross. I can be a bit of a fabric snob… but for a roof and walls I wanted large pieces of fabric (so I wouldn’t have seams in the middle), and I didn’t want to pay too much. It is easy to find high-threadcount discounted sheets at Ross. I picked 2 different colorways – one for our tent, and one for my nieces. The green blanket is an idea I have for making “bushes”. We’ll see if it works!
I decided to start with the roof. I used the fitted sheet from a sheet set in size “full”. I cut the seams at the corners, and it fit perfectly. I pinned the sheet in place at the corners.
I cut the flat sheet in half, and used one side on each side, and pinned it in place.
To make sure the bottom was even, I marked three inches down from the top of the pipe on each side, then stretched a piece of double-sided tape between the pipes. I stuck the bottom edge of the sheet to this strip of tape.
Yes, this is an epic project, and that is as far as I’ve gotten so far! I have to trim, pin, sew, and hem to finish up this roof – and then I’ll start on the 4 walls! I have so many ideas for the walls… I can’t wait to get started!
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