How to Make a Rope Hammock

Do thoughts of you being on a perpetual holiday haunt you? Relaxation, rejuvenation and respite are some of the most prominent synonyms that lash your senses the moment you fantasize about a break... that never ends!

Want reality to mimic this fantasy? Well then, your wish has been heard! What about making a hammock that adorns your very own quarters? Yes? Then, let's begin ...

To get set to make your own hammock, you are required to go shopping around for some essentials. For your convenience there is a list prepared for you. All you need to do is to carry this list along and put a tick mark against the commodity that you have managed to lay your hands on. Now, that really can't be described as work, right!

• A hammock cord measuring 600 to 700 feet. (polyester is preferred)
• 1 or 2 gauge sticks
• 2 rings (be certain about the diameter; it should be 2 to 3 inches)
• Netting Shuttle
• Drill bits
• Nail or Hooks
• 2 to 4 hardwood bars (In the actual, only two of them are required, but just in case...!)
• Some Time and Patience

1. The beginning of the procedure is marked by cutting a 3 to 4 feet long hammock piece from the complete cord. Tie it down at the ends. Make sure that the knots are tight enough. Don't pound on them to make them excessively tight, but make sure that they are well secured.
2. Place a hook and hang it there. Leave it as it is.

3. Tie the hammock rope around the netting shuttle. Intertwine it a few times. Avoid making it too thick. Tie the one end to the cord loop that has been hanging on the hook.
4. Now take the gauge stick and wind around the cord once or twice; don't overdo it.
5. The shuttle should now go through the loop. Pull it through.

6. Tighten the loop around the gauge stick. Make a knot that can be untied later.
7. Repeat the procedure until you have garnered 20 tight loops.
8. Gently pull out the gauge stick without disturbing the distribution of the hammock rope.

9. Now with the shuttle cord; all you must do is to take the gauge, rotate it through the gauge stick from the front, carry it through the back of the stick and pass it through the loop. This should be followed for each loop.

10. Refurnish the cord if it is over, by adding the remaining cord. Now take the end of the cord you have just introduced and tie it to the old cord knot.
11. As one side of the shuttle is done, you must move on to repeating the above given steps with the other side as well.

12. You could now cut off the cord with which you began and slide it off the loop.
13. We now move on to the hardwood bars. Make almost 20 holes, at a safe distance of 1 to 2 inches. You should leave around 2 to 3 inches from the start of the hardwood bar and towards the ending of the same.

14. With a long rope of 40 to 50 inch length and with the ring, you must tie the rope around it and place it on the drilled hole on the hardwood. Both ends of the cord have to be drilled through the ring and have to be tied from the hammock. Each of the 40 to 50 rope pieces must be tied securely to the hammock.

15. As the hammock is meant to hold the person and bear his weight, there are side braids that have to be formed. Make 2 to 3 cord braids from the rope. Tie a knot to one end and slide it through the ring. Repeat the same for the other side as well. Pass the braid through each loop of the hammock and continue to do so, till you reach the other end.

Here are some tips to maintain your hammock and have it deliver comfort for long.

• To clean the hammock, just take a mild soap, mix it in water and clean it with a soft cloth. Let it dry on its own. If you have a polyester rope, you may add a tint of bleach in the soap water solution.

• Make sure that your hammock is away from an environment that entertains moisture on an ongoing basis or attracts salts. This can shorten the lifespan of your hammock, in turn shortening the lifespan of your holiday!
• The rope hammock is bound to stretch. You may correct it by tightening the loops as and when you feel you are getting 'grounded'!

• You are free to use colored ropes to make your hammock. However, the color is bound to fade a bit and may look ugly.
• When you are not using the hammock or you sense the weather is playing mischief, remember to get your hammock in to prevent it from incurring damage.

With these instructions and tips, you could bring your cane hat and your still-to-read novel off the shelf and place yourself on the 'self-manufactured' hammock. A breath of fresh air wafts through your face ... ah, blissful!