![[Winter] Let’s make them together! A roundup of handmade kites](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/K37ru5uaYeU/maxresdefault.webp)
During the long New Year’s holiday, many parents are probably thinking, “If we’ve got the time, why not get moving and play with the kids?” In that case, how about trying a traditional game! In this article, we’ve put together ideas for making homemade kites.
We introduce not only the classic kites beloved in Japan for generations, but also ones you can make with just a plastic bag or A4 paper, and even three-dimensional kites.
Watching a kite you made yourself soar freely across the sky is such a great feeling! It’s the perfect winter activity and a lucky, festive recreation.
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[Winter] Let's make it together! Handmade Kite Roundup (1–10)
quad-line kite
On a windy day, we recommend flying a quad-line kite.
Start with a simple move: launching it straight up into the sky.
Prepare a picnic sheet, scissors, a felt-tip pen, glue, kite string, carbon shafts, paper roll cores, and clips, and let’s get making.
Trace the pattern onto the picnic sheet and cut it out, leaving a seam allowance as you cut—that’s the key point.
Assemble the frame using carbon shafts.
Punch holes in both ends of two roll cores, thread the kite string through, then attach the string to the body.
Secure the string, and you’re done.
Try flying it while carefully controlling it with your hands.
box kite
The box kite, which you assemble into a square box shape, is stable and easy to fly once it’s in the sky.
Prepare long bamboo skewers, construction paper, kite string, and adhesive, and let’s make it.
Use the bamboo skewers to build the kite’s frame.
Join the parts together with adhesive where they meet.
Using bright-colored construction paper on the outside makes it easier to see where the kite is in the sky, which is recommended.
Apply the construction paper straight and evenly so it doesn’t wrinkle, as this helps the kite stay stable and fly more easily.
Baramon Kite
The Baramon kite, a traditional craft from the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture, is named after a dialect word meaning “vigorous,” and it features a painting of a warrior confronting a demon.
You carve bamboo to make the kite’s frame; the key is to cut the bamboo to the needed lengths while shaving its body into a semicircular (kamaboko) shape.
After making the head, torso, and arms, assemble the other parts in order.
Once you’ve glued paper onto the frame, sketch the design and carefully add color.
Feel free to choose any color combinations you like.
Finally, attach the hummer and the tail to complete the kite.
When attaching the hummer, set it in a bow shape.
Try making this very cool traditional Japanese Baramon kite!
Three connected kites made from A4 paper
Here’s an idea for a three-part kite made with bamboo skewers, A4 paper, and kite string.
First, cut all three A4 sheets into squares.
Cut the bamboo skewers to the length of the square’s diagonal, and cut the kite string to about 1.5 times the length of the bamboo skewer.
Wrap the string around the end of the bamboo skewer three times and secure it with tape, then, as if making a bow, tie the other end of the string to the opposite end of the skewer and secure it.
Prepare six skewers with string attached like this, and attach them in pairs in an “X” shape so that they span the diagonals of the squares.
Be sure to bring the string to the side opposite the skewers before attaching.
Use the remaining A4 paper to make tails and glue one to each kite, then connect the three kites with kite string to finish.
Wow
Traditional Malaysian kites are called “Wau,” and they are also one of Malaysia’s national symbols.
There are various shapes, but the classic form is the bird-like “Wau Bulan.” This idea is also based on the Wau Bulan shape: after making a frame from thin, lightweight materials, white and blue kite paper is applied to create a beautiful finish.
Wau patterns often feature flowers, but it’s great to try your own design as well.
There’s also a theory that the name Wau comes from the sound the kite makes when it flies, so be sure to listen and see what kind of sound it produces.
tetrahedral kite
A tetrahedral kite, made by combining multiple regular tetrahedra, can catch the wind and fly stably when assembled with overall balance in mind.
Start by cutting the bamboo, then assemble the frame with glue while adjusting the structure and balance.
Attach pieces cut from a plastic bag to two adjacent faces of the frame to create the kite’s wings.
The key is to glue the regular tetrahedra together so they form a single pyramid-like shape without distortion.
Finally, attach the kite string at the appropriate points, taking its placement into consideration, and you’re done.
Flute Kite
Also known as whistle kites, Vietnam’s traditional flute kites are characterized by producing sound when they catch the wind.
Here, a slender framework is built first, then covered with plastic and finished with a kite line.
A notable feature is that they have no tail.
Despite their distinctive shape, they fly very well.
It seems that a flute is attached to the upper part of the main spar.
The tone changes depending on the type of flute used and the wind it receives.
Balancing the kite during construction can be tricky, but do give it a try!