BHGS Articles

I find that suncatchers are a charming item and people always seem to admire them. They can be made in endless ways and with different items. Stained glass appears to be in great demand, but they are quite often made from plastic sheeting, which I am about to explain for novices. These items are so artistic yet often so very easy to make yourself and you will find that old and young people alike, really appreciate them!

One advantage with these is that they are fascinating in the way that they catch the light and, of course, the places you can actually hang them is endless. Your hallway, bedroom window, outside, wherever you like. It is easy to recognise why they might be popular!

Now we have established these can be hung anywhere, but what I am about to describe would be suitable for any sort of window. So, do we need many items for this? Not many really and this could be the start of a great hobby! A roll of lead tape, pot for your water, paintbrush, glass outliner which comes in a tube, glass paints and thinner, 2 cm of string, rubber suction hanging hook, a sheet of A5 size acrylic and your actual design.

It will probably give you more satisfaction if you go ahead and make your own design, but if this is not the case, go ahead and visit your local art supply shop. I am sure they must be able to sell you these.

The first step to take is to remove the film from the acrylic sheet. Continue then by cutting a length from your lead taping. The backing will need to be peeled off and then stuck along the edging of the acrylic sheet.

Of course we need something to hang this by, so we need a hook. For this you will require your string and a piece about 4cm long of your lead tape. You take the string and place this inside the tape, leaving it open at the end. Then you can go ahead and stick this to one of your edges on the sheet to make this hook to hang it from.

What next? Well, let us move on to our design. This has to be put under your acrylic sheet. Then take your tube of outliner and draw your design on to the top of your sheet. Now you must leave it to dry.

Once this is dry you can take your glass paints and start to fill in your design. You will find that these take a while to dry, so it is probably better to leave them to dry overnight. When glass paints with solvent in them have been used, it is advisable to rinse and clean your brushes with the thinner.

Some paints only have a water base, so these can just be washed in water. So, now we are getting near the end. You have to be able to hang the suncatcher, so this is where your suction hook comes in. Go ahead, stick this to your window and then attach your suncatcher. You will get great satisfaction when you see the light reflecting on and through it. If you have cracked it don’t stop there, try different designs and make a few more!