How to Make a Wire Suncatcher
A wire sun catcher is made by threading translucent beads onto a wire and wrapping the wire around them. Translucent plastic or glass beads are just clear enough to allow sunlight to shine through them. The sunlight filters through the beads to cast colored light onto your walls or floor. You can make your own wire sun catcher by wiring beads onto jewelry wire and then bend it into a shape that you like, such as a crescent moon or stars.
Things You'll Need
- 20 gauge bead wire
- Ruler
- Wire cutters
- 25 translucent plastic or glass beads
- Cylinder container (optional)
- Fishing line, 6-inch
Instructions
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1
Cut a 3 feet section of the 20 gauge bead wire. At one end of the wire, measure in 1 inch with a ruler and then make a loop for the sun catcher to hang on. Wrap the wire remaining at the end of the loop around the wire.
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2
Thread a bead onto the wire and slide it down to the wire loop. Move it up 1 inch and bend the wire into a Z around the bead. Press the Z-shaped wired down onto the bead to secure it in place.
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3
Continue adding beads and securing them onto the wire by bending the wire into a Z-shape and pressing the wire around the bead. Space the beads 1 inch apart until you reach the last 1 1/2 inch of the wire.
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4
Slide on the last bead and wrap the 1 1/2 inch end around the bead in two turns. Trim off the extra wire with the wire cutters.
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5
Bend the wire sun catcher around a cylinder, such as a cup or a spice container to form it into a spiral. Remove the cylinder and bend the top and bottom coils in. Tie both ends of a 6 inch peice of fishing line onto the hanging loop.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also bend the wire into a ring or a star shape.
