Cover Story

So you made the framework, the male side structure, the skeleton. Then comes a dance with circle-geometry, a bit of algebra and the sewing-machine to fit the cover, the skin, the female side. Canvas The standard canvas we use is 12oz natural white FWR (flame, water and rot-proofed) cotton canvas in natural white colour. We only use canvas proofed inn the UK a, from experience,s we find it to be of a much higher quality.

Polyester/Cotton blend We have recently begun working with a blended polyester/cotton fabric which combines the best of the cotton (natural feel and breathability) with the advantages of a synthetic fibre (stronger, resistant to mildew and cleanable). It comes in 12oz, FWR finish.

Acrylics The acrylic fabrics we offer still have the look of the cotton but are much stronger and, being synthetic, will last much longer. They come in a wide variety of colours and prints, are water and rot-proofed but not flame-retardent.

Colours, designs...you name it We love to play so tell us what colours and designs you'd like...from a coloured trim to embroided dragons on the door. The dream is limitless and it is time to cross to the other side, allowing the dream of this world and beyond.

 Our Online Cover Making Courses

We have been thinking for a long time about sharing the skill of tent cover making (which is our speciality).

Spirits Intent has been the cover maker for a good part of the yurt industry (there is such a thing!) in The UK and the rest of Europe and although we feel like competition is getting harder and the market closing in, we have decided we prefer to share the skill with anyone willing to learn. 

The basic cover making course is for those of you who have a yurt-frame and are not scared of sewing. It will require a walking foot sewing machine, preferably one which can stitch in reverse (backwards) and not only forwards, although we can teach you how to use a forward only machine, but it must be a walking foot. (you can contact us for information)

We will pattern the cover for you and help you source the materials (canvas, thread, needles, cord, eyelets, turn buttons etc)

We will teach you how to cut and sew the cover and (pre-shrink it if the fabric deems it necessary) how to fit it and do all the finishing touches.

This course is of course for people who can sew and it does not matter if you made the frame of not, it will take you through your first cover from start to finish.

The price for this course is £250 and it is a full on line course. If you have no internet we can send you a disk or printed version and you can stay in touch with us by phone, but we prefer the online version.

The Advanced Cover Making Course 

This course is for yurt makers, for people who have made more then one cover or intending to become a yurt making business. In it we will teach the full scope of cover making, starting from suppliers for canvas, the right types of canvas to use for which job, how to measure, and pattern your frame measurements.

We then will teach you how to sew it, the difference is that here we will teach you with the idea of you making more yurts in the future so seam allowance and shrinkage percentage will become your new friends (or enemies). We will explain all you need to know about needle size to thread to material ratios, and much more. Unlike the basic course we will also teach you how to make windows opening or not, curtains, and canvas doors, although the basic course does include a simple door design.

We offer this course for yurt makers or people intending to become cover makers for yurts.

The price for this course is £395 and it will make you a top cover maker if we have anything to say about it.

We also teach tipi cover making although, as this is relatively more simple there is just one course which will come at £180. The sewing machine requirement are advised but not a must, although we will inform you that there are many a book which we consider good enough to teach you, the bible is of course the Laubin's.

Please contact us if you are interested and we will take it from there