How to Make Sun Catchers With Glue

Make Simple Whimsical Stained Glass Ornaments

Mar 31, 2010
Melissa Howard

Glue Sun Catcher - Melissa Howard

Use glue, food coloring, and yarn to make sweet stained glass sun catchers or Christmas ornaments.

Why buy kits for making sun catchers when it's possible to design a sun catcher from scratch? Let children be the master of their own creativity rather than having their creativity dictated by a craft kit.

Supplies Needed to Make a Sun Catcher

Parents will need to provide the following items to help kids make this craft.

White glue (non-flexible and non-washable preferred – aka very cheap glue)
Yarn
Food coloring
Toothpicks
Cookie sheet
Waxed paper

Instructions for Making a Glass Ornament

Cover the cookie sheet with waxed paper.
Pour a small amount of glue in a disposable container (used applesauce or pudding cups work well).
Cut a length of yarn (twelve inches is usually a good starting size) and dip it in the glue.
Remove excess glue by running the yarn between thumb and forefinger as you pull it out of the glue.
Lay the yarn on waxed paper and shape it into whatever shape desired for the ornament. Make sure the shape is a closed shape. If there are interior sections, they need to be closed as well.
Make as many ornament outlines, as desired. Let the outlines dry completely.
When the yarn is completely dry, carefully pry up the yarn at the top of the ornament and slip a short length of yarn underneath to use for the hanger. Press the area of the hanger down firmly. Any areas that aren’t in contact with the waxed paper will leak.
Squeeze glue into the outline until it is completely filled.
Drop food coloring into the glue and stir it with a toothpick. The crafter can use different colors for each area of the ornament that is separated with yarn. It's also possible to also use two colors in the same area and blend it just a little with the toothpick to get shading from one color to the next (don’t blend too much because the dye spreads on its own and the colors will completely mix and you won’t get shading).
Let the glue dry. Give it plenty of time to dry completely. Ornaments that aren’t completely dry will not stay flat when they are removed from the cookie sheet.
Pick the waxed paper off the back of the ornaments. Any small leaks that occurred can be trimmed with a scissors.

Other Stained Glass Ornament Ideas and Suggestions

The following are some other useful tips for making a sun catcher.

Use the cheapest glue you can buy. If the glue says that it "dries flexible," don’t buy it. Buy only glue that dries hard. Some washable glue dries too soft as well. The cheapest glue available will most likely be the best. Try the local dollar store to find super cheap glue.
Because there is no crocheting or knitting involved, buy the cheapest yarn available as well.
If it is too hard to free hand the shapes, use a cookie cutter as a template. Put a cutter on the cookie sheet and press the wet yarn around it. Remove the cutter and let the yarn dry.

Making sun catchers from scratch isn't hard at all. With some basic supplies such as cheap glue, yarn, food colors, toothpicks, cookie sheets and waxed paper, parents and kids can have fun building their very own whimsical stained glass ornaments. These make great Christmas tree decorations as well.