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How to make an under-the-table house

Children love private spaces to hang out, play in, and pretend with. This clever twist on a child's play tent, from the book Cool Spaces for Kids by Sam Scarborough (Hamlyn $39.99), is easy to make and looks gorgeous.

Nothing could be easier than draping a large sheet over a table to make a secret play space underneath, which can become anything from a tent in the jungle to a mountaintop castle. This example has a playhouse feel to it.

How to make
1. Decide on the height and width of the door and windows needed. Measure and mark up on your sheet with tailor's chalk and cut out.
2. Cut a door "curtain" from a scrap of fabric using pinking shears and making it 2 cm (3⁄4 in) wider than the doorway. Stitch it to the top of the doorway.
3. Measure and cut out plastic 'windows'. They should be about 4 cm (11⁄2 in) bigger than the window opening. Pin these in place behind the openings and stitch down.
4. Measure and cut four curtains from matching scraps of fabric, using pinking shears. Attach these to the 'outside' of the sheet, carefully stitching them to the house along the top of the window, and taking care to conceal the plastic window seam beneath. Make two fabric tie backs per curtain and stitch in place.

Tips for beginners

You can find a great range of fabrics, as well as plastic sheeting, at your local Spotlight store.
Old pillowcases or clothing are great for fabric scraps. The window "curtains" don't have to match - use tea towels for a "rustic" effect.
If you don't have a sewing machine, don't worry - this is easily hand-stitched as the seams are minimal and all straight anyway.