This labyrinth design is based on an 18-inch [460mm] square, which is what the black and white squares in the floor of St. Paul's Cathedral in London measure. At first we thought we might have to tape it out directly on that floor, so a circular pattern wouldn't work - we had to come up with a design that used the existing floor pattern. In the end we covered the floor with a cloth, but kept the distinctive pattern.

There's two ways to set it out.

Method 1: mark out a grid of 18 inch [460mm] squares as below.

Method 2: A lot of the points of the labyrinth lie on straight lines - so you can set out a grid of string across the floor/cloth as below, and use two people to stretch the tape from one crossing-point on the string grid to another. This method is quicker - I think!

Using imperial measurements:

Using metric measurements:

We use 2 inch [50mm] wide duct tape for the pattern. Whichever method you use it's still three or four hours hard work for at least two people.

As for fabric, we used hessian for the original cloth because we only expected to use it once. The cloth was in two pieces, but even so each half was bulky and heavy, needing two people to lift when folded. But the hessian looks and feels appropriate, so if you're not planning on moving it far it's a good option. Our hessian cloth toured England for a year before Youth for Christ [who ran the tour] gave it to one of the venues and replaced it with a lighter cloth. Unfortunately I haven't seen the lighter cloth and don't know what it's made of, but I expect it's synthetic - nylon or polyester - Group Publishing in the States have such a cloth, it's in one piece and still liftable by one person when folded.

The trick is to find a fabric that doesn't stretch, that tape sticks properly to, that's a good colour, that won't show too much the marks of feet, sand and soil, and that doesn't wrinkle up and trip people.