Custom Kites - Four Steps to Make Your Own
Custom kites are practical, fun objects anyone can make. Their construction is a great activity to do at school or at home. Flying a kite isn’t only fun but also very easy. All you have to do is let them up into the sky.
Making a kite with your kids is such a wonderful learning experience and flying it together is so much fun! If you’ve been wondering how to make a kite, it’s really not as hard as it seems, and it’s definitely worth the time.
How to make custom kites
Today we’d like to show you how to make a quadrilateral kite as it’s the easiest one and most common. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plastic, newspaper or a light fabric
- 20″ and 24″ dowels or some other thin sticks
- Tissue paper or decorative ribbons
- String
- Superglue
- Scissors
Step 1: create the cross structure
To begin you’ll have to make the main structure that’ll keep your kite together — think of it as the skeleton. So, take the 20″ stick and put it across the 24 inches stick so that you create a “t”-shape.
Then, attach the dowels together with string and glue. Wrap some string around them, where they cross and go around at least twice. Then, tie the string with a small knot and trim off the excess. You can also put a dab of super glue between the dowels and press them together at the joint to secure them.
Then, use scissors to make a notch at the end of each stick. Make sure these notches run horizontally, or across the width of the stick. Make them deep enough to fit the string you’re going to use to attach the paper.
Now, stretch the string around the frame by looping it around the notch on the top of the frame. Wrap it once around the stick. Then, pull the string through the notch on the right end of the frame. Here, stretch the string to the notch at the bottom end of the frame and then through the left end of the frame. Finally, wrap the string once or twice around the top end of the frame.
Step 2: create the sail
Use a plastic bag, paper, or fabric that’s at least 40″ wide for the sail. A large, white garbage bag is a good option because it’s sturdy and you can decorate it. You can also use strong white contact paper or newspaper.
Then, lay the frame on the sail and spread the material flat on a table and place the frame in the center of the sail. Now, outline the frame with a ruler by placing the latter on top of the frame and then down the end of the stick on the right side of the frame. Use a pen or pencil to draw a diagonal line from the top end to the end of the stick on the right, using the ruler as a guide. Do this again from the right end to the bottom end of the frame as well as from the bottom end to the left end. To finish, draw a diagonal line from the left end up to the top end of the frame.
Cut the diamond at least 2″ wider than the outline to leave a bit of space around it so you can easily wrap the sail to the frame.
Fold the edge of the sail over the frame and glue it down. Run a thin line of super glue on the frame and press the edge of the sail on the frame to keep it in place. You can also use some strong tape to secure the sail to the frame, taping the edge onto the inside of the sail.
Step 3: custom kites flying line
Use a string that’s at least 20″ long for your flying line. Make a small hole right above where the two sticks meet with a large nail. Then, pull one end of the flying line through it and tie it tightly around the cross point and let it hang down.
Make a kite tail with a 6-foot long piece of thick string. Then, attach the tail to the bottom end of the frame. Loop it over the frame several times and knot it tightly. You can use a strip of cloth for the tail.
Next, attach pieces of cloth or ribbon to the tail at 1-foot intervals using 3-inch long pieces. Tie them onto the tail with a small knot, allowing them to dangle down off the string. These will help balance the tail and will keep the kite straight while it’s flying.
To finish, you can decorate your kite any way you want. Get creative but keep it lightweight.
Now that you’re ready to fly it you’ll have to find a spot with no trees or power lines. An open area close to water like is ideal as the winds there are perfect for kite flying. Hold on tight to the string and move with the wind. Release the kite as you run, trying to push it upward into the wind. Use your flying line to keep it up in the air.
Let’s go fly our custom kites!