I have a fun summer craft project for you today, friends! In the video below, I am showing you how to make a vintage summer kite using some poster board and beautiful vintage linens. I hope you love it as much as I do!
One of my favorite things to do is to be part of the Southern Crush at Home Craftathons™ every season. It is such a fun event and I love getting to be a part of it. For one of my summer sessions, I taught everyone how to make a vintage summer kite. It was a big hit and I was excited to see how many other people loved the idea!
I wanted to show you how easy it is to make your own vintage kites. They make great wall hangings and are a great way to add color or to tie together your vintage decor. So grab your glue guns, and let’s get crafting!
How to Make a Vintage Summer Kite
These adorable kites are simple to make and are perfect for showing off the beautiful vintage linens that we find at markets. I bring home so many because I know I want to be able to honor and enjoy them. I love this project because it is a unique way to use both vintage linens and lace.
Your kites will look different from mine since we won’t be working with the same materials. (Which btw, is one of favorite things about vintage decor. The items are all unique to themselves and likely won’t be found in anyone else’s home!)
But I show you how you can take what you have and love and use the same method that I do to create your own unique kites!
But Wait…there’s More!
There are two short videos where I show you how to make these vintage kites, step by step. But, if you watch until the end of the second video, I also show you a bonus project! It was one I had worked on with the gals in my membership group, Tami’s Making. And I really loved the way it turned out!
So, if you want a little added inspiration, be sure to watch through (or fast forward through!) to the end.
How to Make a Vintage Summer Kite Supply List
- Poster board
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Large popsicle sticks (8 inches long)
- Hot glue gun
- Muslin
- Adhesive spray
- Vintage fabric (scarf, table runner, etc. )
- Lace or ribbon for edging
- Buttons
- Muslin shreds
- Lace for kite strings
How to Make a Vintage Summer Kite Instructions
- Start by drawing your kite on the poster board. From top tip down to where the kite flares out is 5 1/2 inches. From top tip to bottom tip is 14 inches. And the top edges of your kite are 11 inches on each side. Use a ruler or measuring tape to get your lines nice and straight.
- Next, carefully cut your kite out. Then cut out a second one so that you can stack them for stability.
- Now use the hot glue and build a frame of popsicle sticks around the outside edges of your kite to build the frame. Cut them to size if you need to. Glue them to each other but not the kite piece itself.
- Then add more sticks horizontally for more support.
- Take a piece of muslin that is large enough to cover your kite and cover it with spray adhesive.
- Then lay down the second kite cut out (the one with no sticks on it), press it down and let it set for just a bit so it can begin to tack up. Then cut the muslin to the shape of your kite. This will be the back of your kite.
- Next, glue the back piece (poster board side down/muslin out) to the stick side of your other kite piece.
- Cut your fabric to the size of your kite piece.
- Flip your fabric so the back side is up and spray it with adhesive. Then place your kite piece on it and push it into place.
- Then fill in the rest of your kite with lace, embroidery, other pieces of your fabric, etc.
Trimming Your Kite
- Now it’s time to move on to the edging of your kite. Use hot glue to attach your lace or other edging to one side of your kite at a time. Remember that you want to cover the edges of your board here. So you want to use something that will take your eye away from that and/or cover it well.
- Flip your kite over and edge the back of it too.
- Then find some larger vintage buttons and glue them to the corners of your kite.
- Now cut a small piece of a muslin shred. Use this to make a hanger for the kite. Hot glue one end to the back to the board. Then make and loop and glue the other end down over the first.
- Take the lace, muslin shreds, and anything else you have pulled out for the kite strings and bunch one end together. Use a muslin shred to tie a bow around that end. Then use scissor the even up the ends that poke above your tie.
- Then hot glue the tie to the end of your kite and trim the ends to even them.
- Add a button to the center of your bow.
- Next, use muslin shreds to gather and tie a bow at two more spots along your kite strings.
Conclusion
I really enjoy making these kites. I get to play with lots of fabulous vintage items. And I get to give them new life as a beautiful piece of wall art. I hope you give this project a try!
I would love to see how you use them in your own home. So if you post any pictures of your kites on social media, tag me so I can check them out! As always, I hope you love this project as much as I do. Happy crafting, friends!
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Tami’s cell phone number: 740-273-6693
Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!
If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami’s Making. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!
