Now that you’ve constructed your PVC frame, purchased your fabric and made your main cuts, and added windows with mitered bindings and cute curtains and awnings, we can finish this baby up and get ready to play!
Start by sewing the side walls to the 60″ ends of the roof with right sides together. Â Use a 1″ seam allowance. Â Now we’re going to make a flat-felled seam which is a nice way to cover the cut edges of the fabric and makes a locked and sturdy seam.
Trim one seam allowance to slightly less than 1/2″. Â I cut the polyester fabric so I would have the heavier duck canvas fabric wrap around it.
Then fold the uncut edge over. Â Normally you would iron this, but I found the stiff canvas to fold nicely without ironing and I didn’t want to risk melting the polyester fabric.
Then fold over so the raw edge is tucked into the seam. Â Stitch close to the edge – I could have gotten a little closer than this picture shows.
If this were on a smaller project or a garment, you would be stitching from the outside, but this was too big and awkward to flip everything around.
Attach the front awning to the bottom of the front peaked section. Â This is the 14″ x 60″ piece folded in half to 7″ x 60″ and then sew along the long edge. Â Finish the seam with a flat-felled seam.
Next attach the front and back walls to the peaked section of the roof. Â I found putting the finished portion over the frame inside-out to work best. Â Match up the corners of the angle cuts you made here and work your way up to the peak, pinning as you go. Â Double check that everything is all symmetrical and then go sew it up. Â Use the same flat-felled seam shown above.
Then hem the bottoms of the three full-length sides. Â Fold 1/2″ to the inside and press. Â Fold another 1/2″ and press. Â Stitch close to the edge.
Here I am in the midst of playhouse construction. Â It’s a lot of fabric to wrangle around, but the end result is soooo worth it!!!
Arden & Hadley continue to use this on a regular basis.  We’ve hosted countless tea parties, enjoyed snacks & meals, or just hung out in there playing.  I’ve got plans to grab a bunch of quilts and cushions and sit and play and read in there.  You may even catch me lounging about in there while the girls are sleeping!
If you make a playhouse using this tutorial, I’d love to see your finished project! Â Shoot me an e-mail at jennuinedesign(at)gmail(dot)com.
Links to all tutorials:
PVC Frame
Fabric Requirements & Cuts
Mitered Bindings, Curtains, & Awnings
Hi there, I am making a fabric house for my Grandson, I am also using a very durable tweed, some people have told me it is too heave, I believe the opposite, I need it to be sturdy, am I thinking this right?
This house is made from sturdy duck cloth – like a canvas material. I would think sturdy tweed would be similar in weight. The main issues are sewing through seams where there may be multiple layers, but using a denim needle and some hand cranking should be fine.
Hi Jenn, seeing pictures of you making this playhouse has motivated me to make one for my grandkids for Christmas. I decided to put a full front on and add a roll up door. As you suggested I have draped it over the frame to fit the roof properly and noticed that the side walls don’t reach the floor. The frame isn’t glued yet so I will cut the frame down to meet canvas size. I would suggest an added 4″ to the walls. Also I cut my windows a little high so I suggest the windows be no less then 8″ from the top edge measured at the time of your instructions to miter and bind windows. You have been an inspiration to me. Thanks