How to Build a Two-Handed Kite

A two-handed kite can perform tricks in the air.

Building a kite offers an activity that both adults and children can enjoy together. Once you have built the kite, you and your child can fly it together as well. While a single-lined kite is a more well-known type of kite, especially when handmade, a two-handed kite offers an additional challenge. Most two-handed kites feature a different shape than a traditional diamond kite and require two strings running from the kite to the ground for better control of kite movement.

Things You'll Need

• Tissue paper
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Scissors
• 1/8-inch bamboo sticks
• 1/4-inch bamboo sticks
• Small saw
• Tape
• Kite string

Instructions

1. Lay out the tissue paper on a flat surface. Use a piece of tissue paper that is at least 3-feet wide and 4-feet long.

2. Trace out the shape of the kite. Many two-handed kites are basically triangular in shape. The bottom edge of the triangle is sometimes shaped into scallops to create a pointed bottom edge.

3. Cut the shape out carefully with a pair of scissors. Tissue paper tears easily.

4. Measure the 1/4-inch bamboo into three pieces and cut to size with the saw. One piece should fit from the top of the triangle to the bottom -- about 3 feet. A second piece should fit across the triangle about 9 inches from the front of the kite. The third piece should fit across the triangle about 9 inches from the base of the kite.

5. Position the 3-foot piece of bamboo vertically in front of you. Position the shorter cross piece of bamboo 9 inches from the top of the vertical piece and the longer cross piece 9 inches from the bottom of the vertical piece.

6. Bind the sticks together at their crossing points with kite string, knotting the string tightly.

7. Cut the 1/8-inch bamboo sticks into pieces that fit along the three sides of the tissue paper.

8. Lay each of the cut 1/8-inch pieces of bamboo along the corresponding side of the kite. Wrap the edge of the tissue paper around the bamboo pieces and tape into place.

9. Lay the 1/4-inch bamboo crosspieces over the kite, and secure them in place with string where it meets the smaller bamboo pieces. Place a few pieces of tape along the centers of the sticks to hold them to the tissue paper.

10. Create the kite bridles with pieces of kite string. These bridles connect the kite to the flyer. To position the bridles, tie one end of a piece of string to the outside of the top 1/4-inch cross piece and the other end to the base of the vertical bamboo piece. Tie a second piece of string to the middle of the first piece of string, and tie the other end to the joint between the bottom cross piece and the edge of the kite.

11. Repeat Step 10 on the other side of the kite so you have a bridle on each side.

12. Tie one kite reel to each of the kite bridles at the point where the two pieces of the kite bridle meet. Use strong knots to ensure you don't lose your kite.

Tips & Warnings

• Use tape to reinforce the ends of the bamboo sticks so they don't break through the tissue paper.