How to Make a Hanging Tea Light Lantern With Metal Wire

Real tea lights used in hanging lanterns pose a fire hazard.

A tea light lantern is an elegant and romantic way to illuminate an outdoor space, whether it be for a wedding, restaurant or backyard dinner. When you construct tea light lanterns using sturdy handles, such as metal wire, you can hang the lanterns from tree branches without the risk of the lantern not holding its weight properly. The type of materials you make the lantern from determine what glow it emits.

Things You'll Need

• Glass baby food jars
• Battery operated tea light candles
• Hot glue gun
• Metal wire
• Wire cutters
• Needle-nose pliers
• 2 1/2-inch by 5 1/4-inch strip of vellum
• Double-sided tape

Instructions

Baby Jar Lanterns

1. Clean out a glass baby food jar and remove the label on the outside of the jar. You may have to scrub the label or use a special adhesive remover to get it off.

2. Remove the lid of the jar. Insert the battery operated tea light candle inside the baby food jar.

3. Apply a thin strip of hot glue around the upper lip of the jar. Wrap the metal wire around the jar over the glue. Make three or four turns around the lip so that the wire is secured to the jar.

4. Make a loop with the metal wire over the jar, like a rainbow, so that the end of the metal wire ends up on the other side of the jar. The loop should be approximately 2 to 4 inches high. Cut the metal wire with wire cutters when the loop distance is measured.

5. Take the end of the metal wire with the needle-nose pliers. Weave the end of the wire through the top layer of the wire wrap around the upper lip. Pinch the two wires together with the pliers so that they are connected. Lift the lantern up by the wire handle to make sure the handle can hold the lantern's weight.

Vellum Lanterns

1. Wrap the 2 1/2-inch by 5 1/4-inch strip of vellum around the tea light. Cut a piece of double sided tape. Place the tape between the tea light and the vellum to make them connect.

2. Pierce two equal holes on opposite sides toward the top of the vellum lantern with scissors. A hole should be punctured.

3. Thread the metal wire through the hole in the vellum. Use needle-nose pliers to make a knot with the metal wire on the inside of the lantern, out of view from the outside.

4. Create a handle out of the metal wire by lifting it up and over the lantern. Thread the second end of the wire through the opposite puncture hole and knot the wire on the inside of the lantern.

References

• Project Wedding; DIY: Tea Light Lanterns; January 2010