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How To.. make a Beautiful Kite!

27 May 2011 33 Comments

So… with Weather Get Crafty “literally just around the corner” it was really time to bring you this beautiful How To Make A Kite post… it is fabulous guest post from Teri at The Journals of Giddy Giddy… and her blog makes me just that – giddy! It is BEAUTIFUL, I tell you… I could spend hours on there, absorbed in her wonderful crafts and posts. She also has her own Giddy Giddy products and designs, including the most adorable Tiger and Octopus pouchers for little girls. Please do visit Teri and be wowed and oohed and aahed… I can’t tear myself away!

And how perfect is it to make your kite and then go for a good run in the park? Fresh air and fun exercise… Perfect for All Baby Advice’s Fitness Carnival. And.. I found Teri via the wonderful Creative Jewish Mom’s blog. She is a lovely and very creative lady and currently seeking for votes/ help on the Circle Of Moms.. Why not visit and help out?

Over to Teri and her “How to Make a Beautiful Kite” post:

We didn’t know we could do it, until we did it! That’s right…this weekend, we designed, constructed and flew our own homemade kites.

Kids most definitely need some help and some patience. But the results are spectacular and give you a perfect reason to go outside and run like the wind. What’s a better reward than this? This project makes it on my top 3 favorite craft DIY ideas for sure!

By the way, on a difficulty scale from 1-10 it is “officially” a 7.33. (This number is comprised of 3 votes: mine (3 difficulty level) a 7 year old (9.5 difficulty level) and a 5 1/2 year old (9.5 difficulty level).

THE DIY TUTORIAL:

1. Supplies: a spool of basketweaving reed that measure 2-3.5 millimeter in diameter, large colored wax paper and/or colored tissue paper (wax paper is best as it is more durable), quilting thread or heavy duty thread, scissors, and glue stick

(Please scroll down below for suggested supply sources. )

2. Now devise your plan. Just think about the overall kite construction as a series of OVALS, CIRCLES, TEAR DROPS and HALF CIRCLES. These shapes can then be assembled and then tied together. By keeping this simple guideline in mind, we were able to create a flower, a fish/bug, and a butterfly kite.

3. Take a reed, cut it to size and securely tie ends together by looping quilting thread very tightly around and over a dozen times. Tie a good end knot that cannot easily come undone.

This picture illustrates how a butterfly shaped kite is merely a series of 4 tear drop shapes tied together:

Cut wax paper/tissue paper in the same shape as the frame except that it should be 1 inch bigger all around. Cut notches about 1/2 inch apart around the circumference of the wax paper shape.

Now you can apply glue stick on the edges and then fold over so as to cover the bamboo frame.

We tied an extra reed across the entire flower shape to keep this kite frame stable and straight. This extra support might be necessary for other complex shaped kites as well.

As far as the design, layers of shapes and colors can then be glued on the base layer. Here I debated on either a fish or a bug kite and ended up with a BUG FISH.

This butterfly kite is the result of layers and layers of tissue paper and wax paper on top of each other.

Now you can attach kite string onto the decorated face of the kite. We did this by using a sewing needle and looping it through the paper and the reed, which is underneath the paper. Placement depends on the kite design itself but rule of thumb is to find 2-3 areas to string and then those strings can then be joined together at a point about 12 inches from the kite. Think “pyramid”. Then a longer kite string can then be tied to the center point. Truly, this part requires experimentation and is based on the shape of the kite itself.

If you try this project, I would love to see pictures or links of your results!

Have fun.

—————————————-

WHERE TO BUY:

lightweight reeds can be found at basketweaving.com

and colored wax kite paper can be found at: imaginechildhood.com

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33 Comments »

Lian @ Mamas Bag of Tricks said:

Wow, totally awesome. These kids were probably the envy of the other kids in the neighborhood. Such pretty, pretty kites. I’m not all that crafty. The only time I tried to make a kite, I did this:
http://mamasbagoftricks.blogspot.com/2008/09/simple-kite-craft.html
And the ones I made were not made to fly. Hehehe.

# 27 May 2011 at 6:03 am

Red Ted Art (author) said:

Yes, I know what you mean, I just can’t wait to have a go with my kids! Don’t knock simple crafts! They are fab too!

# 27 May 2011 at 6:50 am

Michelle Willow said:

WOW! I know my girl would love to have any one of those kites! Wow!

# 27 May 2011 at 6:57 am

Janis from ReallyKidFriendly.com said:

Superb! Absolutely love them, and you make it look so easy!
I’d love to use this on my website, maybe on the run up to Father’s Day – let me know what you think!
x

# 27 May 2011 at 10:05 am

KooKooCraft said:

I wish I had a kite like this when I was a kid

# 27 May 2011 at 10:34 am

cassie said:

these are beautiful! certainly much better than any kite i made when i was a kid!

# 27 May 2011 at 12:00 pm

maryanne @ mama smiles said:

Those are truly beautiful kites!

# 27 May 2011 at 12:57 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

I am telling you ladies.. Now I have had this guest post my children will INSIST I make one with them!!

# 27 May 2011 at 1:40 pm

Mama Pea Pod said:

These are just gorgeous! How fun!

Would love for you to come over and link this post to the Outdoor Play linky!

# 27 May 2011 at 1:47 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

Janis – have emailed you – would love for Teri’s guest post to be featured

Mama Pea Pod – Done!

# 27 May 2011 at 1:56 pm

@mummiafelice said:

Woweeeeee!!!! I love this!

# 27 May 2011 at 4:50 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

I think we need a kite making workshop!!!

# 27 May 2011 at 4:54 pm

Mañana Mama said:

How wonderful! We’ve got plenty of wind around here lately, so perhaps I’ll get brave and try my hand at a kite this week…

# 27 May 2011 at 9:45 pm

Kate from An Amazing Child said:

Maggy, these don’t even nearly look home-made. They are amazing. Just wondering what is wax paper? What would you ordinarily use it for so I can go on the hunt for it.

Thanks xx

PS – thanks for sharing this with us

# 28 May 2011 at 12:19 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

Hi Kate,

This is a Guest Post from Teri.. Will forward on your question and hopefully get back to you!

Maggy

# 28 May 2011 at 1:20 pm

Rachel said:

This is AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing this at For the Kids Fridays at Sun Scholars! I am off to share this with my Facebook friends. Awesome!!!

# 28 May 2011 at 1:43 pm

jfb57 said:

Well, you know what I think of these!

# 28 May 2011 at 4:20 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

Teri sent me an answer re the Wax Paper:

Thank you! Currently camping so short answer: wax paper is found in restaurant supply stores- but more luck with waldorf inspired supply
store: atoygarden.com! And best thing to do is google : kite paper! I hope that helps! Thank you!!! Will check out your link when we get home Sunday!!

Teri

# 29 May 2011 at 9:18 am

JDaniel4's Mom said:

These really are beautiful!

# 29 May 2011 at 5:39 pm

Aimee said:

My kids keep begging me to make a kite. I just might after this post Thanks for linking up with The Sunday Showcase!

Aimee @ http://www.classifiedmom.com

# 30 May 2011 at 1:16 am

Mama Pea Pod said:

I know I already commented, but I just wanted to pop back to say thanks for linking it up! It’s really just lovely, and as Kate already said, they look so professional! Hope we’ll see you again at our Outdoor Play linky!

# 31 May 2011 at 12:57 pm

Red Ted Art (author) said:

You are lovely! and yes will come again. If I don’t – PROD me! I can be forgetful!!!

xxx

# 31 May 2011 at 2:24 pm

Red Ted Art's Blog » Blog Archive » Weather Get Crafty – Weather Themed Crafts and Tutorials said:

[...] what would a weather crafts carnival be without a beautiful kite?!?!? This kite was recently featured on Red Ted Art as a guest post. I think it is simply beautiful [...]

# 1 June 2011 at 4:49 am

Liz Burton said:

Wow at you attempting that! The results look amazing an the pictures are stunning x

# 2 June 2011 at 11:32 am

Red Ted Art (author) said:

hehehe we haven’t had a go yet!! This is “just” the guest post.. but we will next summer.. when Pip Squeak and try too! xx

# 2 June 2011 at 2:08 pm

Jollyjilly said:

How beautiful I love them

# 2 June 2011 at 5:12 pm

Rachel said:

SURPRISE!!!! This amazing post has been featured at this week’s For the Kids Link Party at Sun Scholars. Thanks so much for sharing, and be sure to stop by and grab an A++ button for your blog! I can’t wait to see what you have for us this week! Party is now posted… so hop on by!

http://sunscholars.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-kids-friday-13.html

# 3 June 2011 at 2:49 am

Red Ted Art (author) said:

Oh you are lovely! THANK YOU!

# 3 June 2011 at 6:39 am

Debbie Clement said:

Love the colors. Love the effort. Love the sharing.

# 5 June 2011 at 1:55 am

Elaine said:

Wow they are beautiful kites – I’m not quite sure that any I created would look that good!

# 10 June 2011 at 9:04 am

Michelloui | The American Resident said:

These are beautiful! I remember making kites with my dad when I was little, I had forgotten all about that until now…

# 10 June 2011 at 2:00 pm

The Outlaw Mom said:

Oooh! Beautiful! It’s just starting to warm up and we’ll have to try this. I promised my daughter we would go kite flying and now I can really make good on that promise – thanks for sharing

# 14 June 2011 at 5:47 pm

Le jour du cerf-volant said:

[...] How to make a beautiful kite [...]

# 26 April 2012 at 6:11 pm