DIY Ice Suncatchers
Creating DIY ice suncatchers is a relaxing winter craft for kids and adults alike. The frozen designs catch sunlight beautifully, turning your yard or window area into a sparkling display of color and nature.
Equipment
- Yarn
- Spoon
- Tape
Instructions
Go on a Nature Hunt
- Head outside to find beautiful winter flora! You may be surprised by all of the plants that have been left behind from the previous seasons, and by plants that actually grow in the colder months. If you want to make a “stand” for your suncatcher, gather a few small twigs while you’re out. The stand is optional.
Assemble the Suncatchers
- After gathering the winter flora, measure one cup of water and add about 5 drops of food coloring. Mix well.
- Pour the colored water into a pie tin.
- Add winter flora from your nature hunt.
Optional Birdseed
- Sprinkle some birdseed. Birds and squirrels will love the extra treats left behind when these suncatchers begin to melt. You can even make a stand for birds if the temperatures will be freezing for a while so that the birds can land and pick a treat.
Optional Stand
- If you want to add a stand for birds, stretch a piece of tape across the pie tin and poke a tiny hole with your scissors right in the middle. Place a small twig in the hole to let it freeze in place.
Freeze Them
- Once all of your pie tins are filled with one cup of water and decorated with the winter flora, place them outside to freeze for about 2 hours. If it is not yet freezing outside, you can carefully place them in the freezer until they are frozen.
Add the Yarn
- Once the water is frozen, or mostly frozen, add one more cup of colored water to the pie tin. Now, you should have two cups of water total in your pie tin.
- Take the cut end of a skein of yarn and line all around the perimeter of the pie tin. Start at the top (at about 1 o’clock) and go all the way around the tin back up to about 11 o’clock.
- When you have made the two ends as long as you want them back up at the top of the suncatcher, cut the yarn and secure it with a knot. Our yarn measured about 36 inches or so. You can secure the yarn with a piece of tape, but we didn’t find this necessary.
- Press the yarn down into the water so that it is fully submerged in the suncatcher and will freeze in place. This will be the hanger.
Freeze Again
- Place back outside (if it is freezing!) or in the freezer for several hours, or overnight.
Display Them
- When the suncatchers are frozen solid, they will easily pop out of the pie tins! Just give the bottom of the pie tin a gentle pop, and the suncatcher will release.
- Hang the icy suncatchers in a tree branch or on a bird feeder pole - any place where you will see them and see the sun shining through. Hanging them outside a window to observe is also a fun way to enjoy them from the warmth and comfort of indoors!
Notes
Check the weather: This craft works best at 20°F or below. The colder it is, the quicker your sun catchers will freeze.
Layer colors: Freeze half the water, then add another colored layer for depth.
Press items down: Make sure decorations are submerged before freezing.
Secure yarn: Press it into the water so it freezes solidly for hanging.
Experiment: Try different shapes by using other freezer-safe containers.
Layer colors: Freeze half the water, then add another colored layer for depth.
Press items down: Make sure decorations are submerged before freezing.
Secure yarn: Press it into the water so it freezes solidly for hanging.
Experiment: Try different shapes by using other freezer-safe containers.
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
