I’m a little disappointed that you don’t sneak up and throw the sheet over them.
From a nearby thread in GQ:
(Bold added.)
I used a few old sheets to cover a wood framed canoe. I made a tight cover for the canoe, & tied the cover on using heavy string.
Then I applied some aircraft dope that was out of date. This tightened up the cotton sheet cover & kept the water out. IIRC I used two coats of the dope as that is all I had. It was not pretty but it worked. I do not remember if it ever got painted.
The canoe lasted a few fears until my sister decided it made a good fort. Which it did, until she lit candles in it. She can tell you even old dope burns well!
I use old bedsheets and bath towels as garage rags and drop cloths for painting. A rather captain obvious usage for a home owner, but an apartment dweller, likely not so much.