Fairy Bower

Happy Friday everyone! I am really excited for this weekend because my husband and I are celebrating our 4th anniversary! I can't believe that so much time has passed since our wedding! How does time fly so quickly? (kids.....that's how). I don't know that we'll do that much, (lack of funds. Our 1st anniversary was like that too. My sweet mother made us dinner and watched our month old Princess) but no matter what we do I am so thankful to be married to the most incredible man who makes me feel so happy and loved, who adores our two little daughters and who motivates me to be the best version of myself. He is my very best friend and I don't think every couple can say that. He has exceeded my expectations of what I always dreamed my husband should be and I know that makes me very lucky. I love you very much my sweet, husband. I can't wait to share the next 80 years with you!
And now for the Fairy Bower tutorial! I love this because it can be used for kid parties, or you can hang it over your little one's bed or in a corner of the playroom. Its a very fun play fort! You know those expensive play tents from Pottery Barn Kids? This is basically one of those, but much cheaper.

You will need:
8 yards of white tulle
4 yards of purple tulle
2 lengths of ribbon (62 inches each)
Long strips of muslin or other white fabric
A hula hoop (preferably without water in it!)
Fake flowers
Glue
 

1. Start by wrapping the hula hoop with muslin and glueing as you go. Plain craft glue works just fine. Wrap until it is completely covered.

2. Tie the 2 lengths of ribbon to the opposite ends of the circle, so that it makes an X. 

3. Cut your 8 yards of white tulle into 4, 2 yard segments and your purple tulle into 2, 2 yard segments. Then connect the tops of the 4 white lengths of tulle by sewing and rouching as you go. (Its better to just rouche as you go, as opposed to pulling the thread after, because its so much tulle that the thread breaks).

 

 

This is folded in half. But see how it makes a half circle at the top?

4. Then attach the purple tulle to the two opposite sides of the white tulle, again, rouching as you go. The following picture should show you what I mean. 

 

5. Then sew the two top ends closed, so that the top forms a complete circle. Slide the X of the ribbon through the center of the tulle circle. Spread the tulle around the hoop.

6. Sew or glue a few points of the tulle to the hula hoop base. Make sure that you hang or hold it up first when marking your spots.

7. Then you can leave it as is, or embellish with fake flowers and more tulle. I used rubber bands to secure the flowers to the hula hoop and safety pins for the tulle. Ready for playtime! 

Here it is hanging from our dining room chandelier.

Note: The hula hoop I bought had water in it, which turned out to be a slight problem because the water would pool in one side of the bower and it would tilt. So, if you come across the same problem (and you can only find water hula hoops) just screw a hole, carefully into the hula hoop and drain the water out.

To hang, screw a screw hook into the ceiling where you want the bower/ play tent to go and then hang the X of the ribbon on the hook. This bower ends up being 72 inches tall, so if you want it to be taller, you will need to get more yardage of tulle. You don't have to use tulle either, you can use a lightweight cotton also, but it will make it look a lot different, so you may need to change a few things. Good luck! 

 

 If anyone has questions or comments they are more than welcome!