Are you wanting to find a fun craft your children can get involved in? If so, melted bead suncatchers are a great choice. These suncatchers can be used at your home, or they can be given away as gifts. And every kid loves to give gifts.
What is a Melted Beads Suncatcher?
Melted bead suncatchers are an easy way to make suncatchers without cutting glass or melting solder. Bead suncatchers are simple to make and require very few tools or materials. Melting beads ideas are fun, and children can help.
As the name implies, melted bead suncatchers are made by melting beads. Since the beads are made from plastic, they need to be placed into a form.
This form will keep the plastic from flowing everywhere and will give the suncatcher an interesting shape.
How To Make Bead Suncatchers?
Gather Your Supplies
There are a few things you will need to make melted bead suncatchers. These are:
You will need pony beads. These are beads made from plastic and are in the shape of a barrel. You can find these beads for suncatchers in a wide range of colours. There are also transparent beads, glitter beads, and glow-in-the-dark beads.
- Forms
There are several items you can use for melted beads patterns. These include metal cookie cutters, metal pie pans, metal muffin tins, round Pyrex dishes, wooden embroidery hoops, and die-cut wood frames. Whatever form you use should not be reused for food.
Use a cookie sheet that is dedicated to crafting. If you do not have one, you can find cheap ones at a dollar store.
- Toothpick or Round-Tipped Tool
These will be used to create the hole in the glass suncatcher, so you can hang it.
- Twine, Ribbon, or Jewellery Wire
Choose twine, ribbon, or wire to hang the ornament. Choose a colour that will compliment your project.
You will need an oven to melt the beads. When the beads melt, there is a strong odour. If you have a toaster oven, you can make this project outside. If you do not, open a window near the stove.
Step-by-Step Instructions for DIY Bead Suncatchers
Please note, the melted plastic is hot when removed from the oven. Do not touch the plastic, or it will cause serious burns.
Children should only be involved in designing the beads before they go into the oven. They can also add the hanging cord once the suncatchers are completely cooled.
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Choose the form you want to use and place it on the cookie sheet.
3. Place a single layer of pony beads in the cookie cutter. You can arrange the colours into a pattern or scatter them randomly. If you do not want to put a hole in the suncatcher after the beads are melted, insert a single glass or metal bead now.
4. Place your project, on the cookie sheet, into the preheated oven.
5. Bake for approximately 15 to 25 minutes; it may take longer. Check the melted bead suncatcher every 5 minutes to make sure the beads are melting perfectly.
6. Once the beads are melted, carefully remove it from the oven.
7. If there are areas that the beads did not flow into, use the toothpick to drag some of the plastic into the area.
8. Before the plastic has a chance to cool, poke a hole in the suncatcher where you want to hang the ornament. Use the toothpick or the round-tipped tool. If you used a glass or metal bead, you can skip this step.
9. Let the melted bead suncatchers cool completely before removing the form.
10. Remove the forms and add the hanging cord.
Melted Beads Suncatchers are absolutely dazzling. These bead suncatchers are easy to make, and a lot of fun too.
Kids, as well as adults, enjoy making melted bead suncatchers. They are easy to create, and the materials are inexpensive. And there is a good chance you already have everything you need lying around your house already.
If you are looking for a new crafting idea that can get the kids involved, make some suncatchers with beads. Or check out these fun crafting projects for your toddlers : Book folding patterns, DIY Nebula Jar, Cross Stitch Kits for Kids, DIY Dreamcatchers.
Make something smart yourself be arty and creative. Let the kids loose with their own ideas. It’s not often you come across a craft that is equally fun for the kids and the grown-ups to make.
Hang these melted beads suncatchers on your porch, in the windows, or use them as ornaments. Melted bead suncatchers will certainly be a hit.
