The hammock is an invention of the Indians of South America. It was they who came up with the idea of making this unpretentious object for recreation, which they used to arrange a night in the jungle. Indian hammocks were slightly different from modern products, they were made from the bark of the hamak tree (hence the name of these hanging beds). Subsequently, hammocks appeared, woven from strong ropes and made from a single piece of cloth. They came to Europe thanks to navigators who appreciated this comfortable "furniture" and began to use wicker nets on ships instead of bunks.
Materials for weaving a hammock
To work you will need:
- durable synthetic rope (length depends on the size of the hammock);
- 4 m thinner synthetic rope;
- scissors;
- 2 bars 3 cm thick and 0.8 m long;
- roulette;
- simple pencil;
- 2 metal rings with a diameter of 10 cm;
- drill.
Stages of making a wicker hammock
Mark the holes on the blocks at a distance of 8 cm from each other. Using a drill, drill the holes, while their diameter should be such that the rope folded in half can easily pass through them.
Cut the rope into pieces that are 3 times the length of the piece, i.e. if you plan to make a hammock with a length of 1, 8 m, then you need to prepare segments with a length of 5, 4 m. The number of blanks should be equal to the number of holes on the bar multiplied by 2.
Take 2 pieces and thread them through one hole on the block. Extend one end of the ropes to a length equal to a quarter of the length of the future hammock. Then pass them through the metal ring, peel back the rope and tie the end with a strong knot. Fasten all other ropes in the same way. To make it more convenient to weave, hang the ring on a hook located at a distance of about 1.5-2 m from the floor, and wind the ends of the ropes in small balls or fold them into loops, which you unwind as you work.
Tie the ends of the ropes through the holes of the bar in pairs with double knots, while tying a piece from one hole with a rope from the other. Next, knit the mesh in the same way, but in a checkerboard pattern, stepping back 3-5 cm from the knots of the previous row.
Weave the required size of the net and pass the ropes in pairs through the holes in the second bar. Place it as close to the last row of knots as possible. Pass the ends of the ropes through the second metal ring and tie them in knots.
To prevent the hammock from stretching during operation, insert a synthetic rope of a smaller diameter along the edges of the product. Cut 2 pieces of 2 m each and thread them through the mesh at the edges of the net. Secure the ends of the rope with double knots on both sides.
How to hang a hammock
If on your site there are quite large trees with a trunk diameter of at least 30 cm, growing at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other, then a hammock can be attached to them at a level of 1.5 m from the ground.
Another option is to install a special hammock support. Dig 2 posts (metal or wood) into the ground. Screw strong metal anchors with hooks into them and hang the hammock by the rings. It will be much more pleasant to lie in it if you put a blanket and several pillows on the net.
