Bed Canopy from Hula Hoop

I was in Bed Bath and Beyond last week and saw a sheer bed canopy for $39. I was shopping for my daughter, who wanted her room decorated like a fairy garden for her birthday. I loved the canopy, but knew I could do better than $39. I went home and did some scrounging, and came up with this:

For a total cost of $6.00.

Here is how I did it:

1. Gather supplies- I used a small hula hoop that had been abandoned behind the dresser, 4 sheer curtain panels from the living room window that had been replaced by drapes, and 6 rolls of sheer ribbon from the clearance rack at the craft store. You will also need a needle and thread, scissors, and a ceiling hook to hang it up.

2. Break the hula hoop. Don't worry, it goes back together. Find the seam (mine was hiding under the upc sticker) and pull it apart.

3. Thread on the curtain panels. You could also use a bolt of tulle, a couple of bed sheets, or lightweight fabric of your choice. Just sew a pocket at the top to thread the hoop through. When you are done, put the hoop back together and secure with a piece of packing tape.

4. Well, technically you could be done here, but that would be boring. Here is where you personalize it. Add ribbons, flowers, strings of beads, whatever you want!  I used ribbons in green, pink, blue, and purple. Just eyeball the length to make it as long as you want, cut it up, and space it evenly around the hoop. Mine went on every 6 inches or so. I tried to cheat and use my handy liquid stitch fabric glue, but the sheer curtains with the sheer ribbons was just too much sheer for the glue and it wouldn't stick. So I had to sew it by hand.

5. Next, tie two lengths of ribbon, string, yarn, fishing line, wire- whatever you want, across the top of the hoop in cross shape. This is your hanger.

6. Put in your ceiling hook. Make sure you anchor it in properly- find a stud, use the little plastic cover for your screw, etc. Then hang your canopy and pull on it to make sure it isn't going to fall down. It took me three tries! In the end, I'm not too worried because it isn't heavy. if it falls on her during the night it won't hurt, and all that sheer won't suffocate her. if you use a different fabric, be extra sure it isn't going to fall down when rolled over, tugged on, pulled for peek a boo, or whatever.

7. Hang and admire!