Lounge in Style With This DIY Mudcloth Hammock Chair
We promise it's easier than you think.
Is there anything better than a hammock on a sunny day? Here's a hammock idea that doesn’t require perfectly-spaced trees. I love this swing chair from Rachel Denbow and wanted to try my own by adding a mudcloth design.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Tools + Materials Needed
- 1 1/4" x 3' oak dowel
- 3/8" x 16' braided polypropylene rope
- 2 yards of black canvas
- white fabric paint pen
- drill
- 3/8" drill bit
- sewing machine
- iron
- shears
- yardstick
- lighter
- 80 mm stainless steel spring snap link
- 3/16" stainless steel quick link
Emilee Stanley Photography
Cut Canvas
To start, fold your canvas in half and lay flat. Measure and mark in 7 inches from the open-top corner. Using a yardstick, draw a line from the mark to the bottom corner. Cut off the angled corner piece and discard.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Draw Design
The beauty of a mudcloth design is that it doesn’t need to be perfect. Using the white paint pen, freehand a design in rows. The yardstick is helpful in making lines down the length of the canvas. Repeat the pattern of rows across the whole fabric. Continue on the back, if desired.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Emilee Stanley Photography
Sew the Hammock
After the mudcloth design is finished, fold the top edge down 1/2 an inch and iron. Next, fold it in again 1/2 an inch and iron flat. Pin and sew the bottom of the fold, then repeat with the long, bottom edge.
Turn your canvas 90 degrees to the left so that the longest edge is on the right. Fold each corner in about 1 1/2 inches and iron. Then fold the unhemmed top edge in 1/2 an inch and iron. Fold again 1 1/2 inches and iron.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Stitch two lines along the bottom folded edge. Reinforce all edges with back stitching. Repeat with other side.
Prep Dowel Rod
Grab your dowel rod and mark 2 inches and 4 inches in from both ends, then drill through completely. Lightly sand any rough edges.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Thread the Rope
Tie a knot 3 inches in from one end of the rope. Melt or tape the end so it won't fray or unravel. Thread the rope through the outer hole of the dowel and up from the widest corner of one side of the canvas seat to the narrow corner of the top. Then tie a knot about 3 feet from the first knot, and thread it up into the dowel. Continue to thread it down into the second hole from the other edge, and measure 3 feet from the loose end and tie a loose knot. Thread it down through the other canvas pocket and back up through the last hole before tying a knot with a 3-inch tail. Adjust everything so it’s even before tightening the knots.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Emilee Stanley Photography
Attach Links
Tie a knot with an 8-inch loop in the center of the rope above the dowel rod. Attach the spring link and the quick link.
Hang + Lounge
Hang the finished hammock on your porch or inside your house from a hook screwed securely into the ceiling. Add a pillow for extra coziness.
Emilee Stanley Photography
Daybeds, Canopies + More
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Japanese Inspiration
Whether meditating or enjoying a cup of green tea, this daybed set amidst a bonsai garden is designed for ultimate relaxation. The red-and-brown bedding ties in perfectly with the yard's Japanese theme. Design by Jamie Durie
Plant-Filled Bedroom
A backdrop of vertical garden pockets makes this outdoor lounging area part greenhouse and part bedroom. Jamie Durie designed this room to be an extension of the indoor bedroom at his very own home.
The Grass Is Always Greener
Lounging on a blanket in the grass is great, but what if the grass form-fitted to your body? That's what designer Jamie Durie created here with this sunken, clamshell-inspired sofa "upholstered" with grass and AstroTurf.
View From the Treetops
This way-up-high hammock is the perfect vantage point for surveying the entire yard — when you're not napping, of course. Design by Jamie Durie
A Shady Spot to Lounge
Creating a four-poster frame just for your daybed means you don't have to limit your placement to areas with existing structures. This one is situated at the edge of yard for maximum shade. Design by Jamie Durie
The Perfect Vantage Point
Sit down and stay awhile on this cushioned, out-of-the-way bench. Rambling ground cover and curved pavers lead your eye out to the rest of the yard. Design by Jamie Durie
Indoor/Outdoor Sofa
Believe it or not, this room used to be a carport. Designer Jamie Durie transformed this open-air room into a lounging spot for a crowd with a custom-made bench outfitted with bright pillows: style and comfort!
A Place to Meditate
Whether you want to snuggle with the one you love or play queen of the garden with the kids, a daybed like this makes for a great afternoon getaway. In the back edge of the garden-scape, you'll get just the privacy you need. Design by Joan Grabel
Canopy Bed in the Trees
This canopy-style daybed is situated on the edge of this tree-filled yard, so it's the perfect place to relax and still take in the action. Design by Jamie Durie
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