I am standing in front of my tent made of a quilt attached to the former chicken house, at that point storage shed, in Nanny and Poppy’s (my Graham grandparents) backyard. It was a June Saturday in 1958. I was 11 and would turn 12 in August. My cousin Barbara had her own quilt tent built over the wooden slide.
In the header we are eating lunch in the yard the same day. Sitting at the table from L to R is my aunt Mary V., my grandmother, my greatgreat aunt Abbie, my grandfather at the head of the table (of course) me, cousin Dee Dee and cousin Marilyn on the end. My mother probably took the picture.
More posts about my grandparent’s house on Theodore.
Oh what memories those makeshift tents bring back! My dad had canvas pieces from pup tents purchased after the war from an Army surplus store & we used to snap them together & drape them over our wooden swing set for a tent. Or we clothes- pinned old blankets to a beach umbrella slipped into a pipe Dad had set in the ground & made that a tent – & those tents became everything from forts & Indian teepees to space ships. Children have the grandest imaginations with no limits!
Those sound like wonderful frames for tents!
I love the picture of you standing so proud in front of your tent. Oh to be a kid again.
I do look pretty proud, don’t I 🙂
You look rightly proud in that first photo and Barbara looks very ‘cool’ in her tent. I bet there are many happy memories to go with these pictures.
Those were wonderful days spend in my grandparents backyard.
that picture of you and your tent pierces right through my heart.
Your Grandparents rocked!
They provided a wonderful place for our imaginations to roam.
A makeshift tent, a box, under the bed — I’m sure some learned psychologist has explained the universal appeal. I bet you girls were a constant source of entertainment for your parents and grandparents.
Kristin my photo is similar me standing in front of my tent.
It was a Sunday in May, 1959. Ahh. . . The good old days.
Great tent! Boy, this SS prompt is bringing up wonderful memories, isn’t it? Did you ever build tents inside the house on rainy days?
I don’t remember building inside tents. My grandkids do though.
I don’t remember ever making a tent outside, but your picture makes me wish I had!
Happy days. Are kids so creative these days?
I don’t remember ever having a proper tent but had fun with some lash-ups – none as luxurious as a quilt.
You are just bursting with pride, and cuteness! Lovely quilt.
What fun!
Strikes a chord in all of us, those blanket tents. Ours was a “fort” in our imaginations and we even hung the blankets up in the winter when we were too lazy to make igloos.
Loved this post.
Interesting that they used the backing of the quilt for the outside of the tent. I would be interested knowing what the pattern on the right side was.
I don’t remember a pattern. I think they were “utility” quilts. Not pieced.
My tent was a genuine army surplus pup tent which had a unique fuggy aroma unlike anything else I can think of. Maybe a bit like the odor of old style canvas basketball shoes after a semester of gym class. I would have liked a quilt.
How wonderful to have photos. You have reminded me of building tents inside the house with sheets and blankets (mum wouldn’t let sheets or blankets outside!)
Love the sunnies
Did you spend nights out in your tent? I can remember great sleepovers with my friend in the tent in the backyard we built from a canvas tarp. My parents entrusted us with a hibachi on which we toasted bread and cooked bacon. It was a grand time. You’ve brought back those memories.
We never slept out in them. They were just for daytime play.