Waxed Paper Diamond Kite Kit
23 September 2017
Let's go fly a kite!
New to our SMP CoLab series of products and kits - the Waxed Paper Diamond Kite Kit.
Composed of tessellating patterns and a simple structure, the design is akin to a stained glass window. Take it to the nearest wide open space and fly your diamond kite!
The kit contains:
- Waxed kite paper
- Hardwood dowels
- Kite string
- Coccoina almond glue stick
- Card and paper for template and tail
- Fully illustrated instructions
You will also need super glue, and scissors or a craft knife. Children should be supervised at all times.
SMP Colab works with artists, makers, designers and independent businesses to create new kits and products. They each celebrate a particular material or method and marry exceptional skill with design. We believe a well designed outcome can ignite the desire to try something new.
Step One
Take one of the dowels and mark the mid point, this is at 12" (30 cm).
Take the second dowel and make a mark 4" (10 cm) from one end.
Take the second dowel and make a mark 4" (10 cm) from one end.
Step Two
Lay the dowels down so that the 12" (30 cm) mark and the 4" (10 cm) mark meet to form a cross shape. Cut a piece of thread about 6" (15 cm) long. Wind this tightly around the point at which the dowels meet and tie several knots to secure. Cut the excess thread after tightening the knot.
Step Three
If you have some tape around tape the frame to your work surface to stop it from moving around as you work. This will make the next steps much easier! Cut a piece of thread, long enough to reach around the four points (I am not sure if the word points is going to be the most clear perhaps change it for : corners ) of the frame.
Step Four
Tie one end of your thread around the bottom point (corner) of the frame (opposite to the cross end) and make a knot and secure the knot with super glue. This is to stop it from sliding along the dowel and will help to create the desired tension going around the rest of the frame.
Step Five
From the knot guide the thread to the next end point (corner) of the frame. Tie it there with a knot and a drop of superglue making sure there is a bit of tension between the ends but only enough to keep the thread in a nice straight line. If there is too much tension, it will distort the shape of the frame. Repeat at the remaining points (corners), finishing where you started.
Step Six
Cut away any excess thread at your knots.
Remove the tape holding the frame to the work surface and check its shape. It should be neat, flat and straight.
Remove the tape holding the frame to the work surface and check its shape. It should be neat, flat and straight.
Step Seven
Use scissors or a knife and a ruler to cut out the diamond shape template from the card along the dotted/dashed (? this is still to be made so don't know what it will look like) line.
Step Eight
Unroll the sheets of waxed paper and position the template in a corner, aligning to the edge. Mark out or cut directly between 8 and 10 of these shapes from each of the 3 colours. Keep hold of your off-cuts as you'll need them later.
Step Nine
Take 1 of your diamonds and apply glue on a 5-7mm margin along 1 edge. Take a diamond of a next colour and stick it to your first shape. Try to only overlap them to match the glued edge and keep both edges as flat as you can so that you end up with an even sheet.
Step Ten
Take a diamond of the third colour and glue it to the open edges of the first two as shown. Allow a couple of minutes for the glue to fully bond. Once dry, your first section is done!
Step Eleven
Continue the pattern by adding two diamonds of the different colours to one on the section you just made. Repeat this till you have a sheet large enough to comfortably fit your frame. To get an idea how large a piece you need to make, lay your frame on top of the paper from time to time.
Step Twelve
When your paper pattern can fully cover the frame - plus an over-hang of 2" (5 cm) on each side - Lay the frame on top of the paper and trim the excess paper around the frame. You need around 1" (20 - 30 mm) of over-hang; don't cut the paper any smaller than that. You now have your paper sail!
Step Thirteen
Using scissors or a knife cut the corners off the sail. This allows you to pre-fold the extra edge of the kite sail over the thread of the frame.
Doing the pre-folding make sure all is in place and that you are completely happy with the way your pattern sits on the frame. This is your last chance to tweak things!
Doing the pre-folding make sure all is in place and that you are completely happy with the way your pattern sits on the frame. This is your last chance to tweak things!
Step Fourteen
Apply glue to the inner side of the folds around the entire edge of the frame. Hold the frame in it's correct place and fold the edges of the paper over the thread. Make sure you rub the edges well so all is flat and well attached. Leave your kite aside for a few minutes to dry completely.
Step Fifteen
Take the paper off-cuts from Step 8 and cut out shapes of about 5 by 5 cm (2":2") that will attach the frame to the sail. In this case we're cutting circles but you could cut any shape you like. Cut 5 of these shapes in total.
Step Sixteen
Glue the shapes over the frame on to the sail in the following locations:
- on the horizontal rib: halfway between the cross and the corner on both sides of the cross.
- on the vertical rib: 1 just above the crossing, 1 just below the crossing and 1 halfway between the crossing and the bottom corner.
It is not vital to be very accurate, as long as the sail feels evenly secured on the frame. You could take the pattern into consideration - matching the colours and shapes according to the position of the frame on the sail.
- on the horizontal rib: halfway between the cross and the corner on both sides of the cross.
- on the vertical rib: 1 just above the crossing, 1 just below the crossing and 1 halfway between the crossing and the bottom corner.
It is not vital to be very accurate, as long as the sail feels evenly secured on the frame. You could take the pattern into consideration - matching the colours and shapes according to the position of the frame on the sail.
Step Seventeen
Take the large sheet of heavy yellow/coloured (will we make kits with different colours or just yellow?) paper and cut it into 10 strips along the long edge of the sheet, using its full length. Make each strip about 0.5" (15 mm) wide.
Step Eighteen
Take the smaller piece of heavy paper and lay it under the bottom point of the kite so that the corner rib just sticks out a bit. Once this is in position, pre-fold both sides of the card over the kite. This will make it quicker and easier to attach the tail once the glue is applied.
Step Nineteen
Arrange the coloured paper strips in a conic shape. They should be slightly spread but joined at one end - like a fan. At the joined end lift up the strips on-by-one and apply some glue to the very end so that you can stick each strip to the next. Make sure you press down well between each strip and leave to dry completely once finished. Take the paper from step 18 and glue your fan of strips to the centre at the inside of it. Press down well and leave to dry.
Step Twenty
Apply glue all over the inside of the card and place the card back under the bottom of the kite and wrap it around, using the folds you have made. Press down well to make sure the bond is strong and leave to dry. Your kite now has a tail!
Step Twenty One
Cut a piece of thread about 4" (10 cm) long.
Thread this underneath the horizontal dowel of the frame and make a loop tie it with a knot.This loop is where you will thread the long string you'll use to fly the kite
Cut the excess thread after the knot.
Thread this underneath the horizontal dowel of the frame and make a loop tie it with a knot.This loop is where you will thread the long string you'll use to fly the kite
Cut the excess thread after the knot.
Step Twenty Two
Now take all of the string you have left and tie one end to the piece of 23 mm (depends on order what exact size will be) dowel. Add a drop of super glue to keep the knot in place on the dowel. Wait a few seconds for the super glue to dry, then wind the entire length of the thread around the dowel.
Step Twenty Three
Tie the other end of the kite string to the loop on the frame.
Step Twenty Four
That's it! Make your way to your nearest wide, open space and go fly a kite!