How to Make Chinese Lanterns That Light Up

Make a light-up Chinese lantern from three hoops and tissue paper.

Making a Chinese lantern with a light is a simple project, but it takes time and patience. This project is easiest if two people put the lanterns together, as it is useful to have a second pair of hands when shaping the lantern and adding the paper. Original Chinese lanterns used candles inside them to light the lantern. As a safer option, place a battery-operated tea light inside the lantern to eliminate creating a potential fire hazard.

Things You'll Need

• 3 wood, plastic or metal hoops
• Craft wire
• Battery operated tea light
• Sticky putty
• Tissue paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Small hook

Instructions

1. Place three wood hoops inside one another to create a 3D spherical shape. Space the three hoops evenly between one another. Tie the hoops together where they meet at the top and bottom with craft wire to secure them in place. Make a wire "tail" coming out of the top side of the hoops by twisting the remaining ends of the wire together. Push the tail up so it extends from the top of the lantern.

2. Attach a long piece of wire to the top of the ball. Wrap the ends around the bottom sides of the middle hoop to add stability to the ball and keep it from collapsing. Repeat for the other side of the ball.

3. Cut triangles of tissue paper large enough to fit between each hoop segment and just long enough to wrap around the wood.

4. Place some sticky putty on the bottom section of the ball where the hoops connect. Place a battery operated tea light on the sticky putty. Make sure the light switch on the bottom of the light is exposed.

5. Attach the paper between the hoops with a glue stick. Work slowly so you do not tear the delicate paper. Place paper over alternating sections, leaving an open section between each papered section.

6. Add additional glue to the wood spines with the glue stick. Cover the remaining sections of the hoop with more tissue paper. Trim off excess paper from these center segments with scissors. Do not trim the paper from the other sections.

7. Cut a small hole into one section of paper at the bottom of the lantern so you can reach the switch on the light to turn it on and off.

8. Bend the top wire into a loop. Stick a small hook through the loop and tighten the wire loop around it. Hang the lantern wherever you like.

References

• Lantern Festival: How to Make a Traditional Chinese Lantern