Tarp orientation using two different tent poles, knot question too

There are few one pole pitches, flying diamond and half pyramid are the pitches I favor with a flat tarp, but they don't work as well as A-frame variations when using some bug bivys.

I often just tie to nearby tree. Easier than using a pole sometimes.
A found stick works as well.

When I run a line from my tarp to the pole and then to the stake point in the ground, I usually use a clove hitch or just a loop around the pole.

If I didn't use trekking poles, I'd get plain ultralight carbon poles like sold by the many UL shelter makers. Get poles that are long enough to allow for various pitches and to allow a high pitch for hot summer conditions.

I'm in the mountains of the Sierra, where about all my bping is done. I was in AK and WY the last few years for vacations. I don't need a high pitch, but some venting is fine, similar to my TT floorless Squall. In the Mono Creek drainage last summer in August, I had condensation in my Squall real bad one night and I was above the lake outlet by quite aways, things happen. I need to weight my current tent poles and see how much they weigh, I may need to get some carbon fiber ones to save some weight. I feel if I'm at a pound or more for a new shelter setup, I've failed. Alameda Frank and his wife who I've bped with, can get by with a Gatewood Cape, his wife wants a tent when she is out, that's my incentive.
Duane

Use a clove hitch to attach your pole to a guy line. It's very easy.

Thank you.
Looks like I'll be at a pound or so, can't get away from that unless the bugs are gone and I can either use the bivy and a gc to cowboy camp, or use a gc with a tarp, saving some weight depending on conditions. My floorless Squall with added tent pole, four stakes weighs 26 oz., so if a new shelter comes in at 16 oz, I've saved 10 oz, still good, trying to look at the positives.

While snowless snowcamping last night in my sleeping bag, I was thinking I can have a beak added to the flat tarp and use the beak as part of a two piece gc if needed or attach to the tarp in bad conditions, going with maybe a shorter ridgeline, not saving a whole lot of weight. I usually have a gc (polycryo) to save on wear and tear and protect my NeoAir and someplace clean to lay out clothes/gear.
Duane

9 feet is not enough length for me. Personally I would go for a 7×10 or a square tarp.

You can make a pretty functional tarp for testing with 1mil plastic from Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/Paint-Drop-Cloths-Sheeting-Tarps-Drop-Cloths-Plastic/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbobl/R-202059082/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=2&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UQ7G4_K5yVs

Cut it to the size you are considering. Create "grommets" by putting a piece of duct tape on both sides, and poking a hole through it. You can make the exact tarp you are considering buying in this way for like $2. Heck, it would probably even hold up decently on the trail if it wasn't too windy.

If you get the 10×20 roll that gives you enough to make two tarps to play around with so you can see what will work for you.

I've been using the on-my-back-with-a-tape-measure method. :) I'm thinking too of using some grid paper and do some folding. In my online search the other day, I found an old thread from BPL, many sizes were mentioned, but most that commented went with the 7X9. I can wait a little. Like many things, the better quality or larger is usually the best or cheapest in the long run.
Duane