How to Make a Kite

Guide Note

What better way to make the most of a beautiful summertime day than by flying your very own, homemade kite? In How to Make a Kite, learn how easy it is to make these colorful sky riders with a few basic materials you might already have around the house.

Introduction
Step 1: Gathering Your Materials
Step 2: Assembling the Frame
Step 3: Giving it Wings
Step 4: Tethers and Tails
Step 5: Ready to Fly
Conclusion
References

Kite Making Tips

Read all instructions before you begin.
Choose lightweight paper for the sail.
Measure the sticks or rods carefully.
Always handle sharp objects with care.
Don't fly in winds over 25 mph.

by Joy Alger

Introduction

Ever find yourself humming the old classic "Let's Go Fly a Kite?" Why wait to visit a specialty kite shop when you can make your own work of airborne art at home? The concept behind a kite is relatively simple, and a few basic materials are all you need to get started making a kite of your very own.

YouTube: Let's Go Fly a Kite (Time: 3:10)

Step 1: Gathering Your Materials

(Creative Commons photo by kiteland)

By definition, a kite is simply a frame covered with thin material and attached to a long string.¹ Most kites use a tethering system to make them fly, which means that you'll need a sail, a line, an anchor and a set of stabilizing spars or rods to construct your kite.²

To construct a simple, diamond-shaped paper kite, you will need to assemble the following materials and equipment:

Two long sticks or dowels
Kite string, fishing line or twine
Razor blade or craft knife
Large pieces of tissue paper, crepe paper or newspaper
Glue or tape
Reel of kite string
Ribbons or strips of cloth

Step 2: Assembling the Frame

(Creative Commons photo by Danagraves)

Kites come in virtually all shapes and sizes, ranging from a basic geometric kite to a more elaborate boxed or bowed kite. To keep things simple, we'll be concentrating on the mechanics of a basic, diamond-shaped kite.

The Skeleton

To begin assembly of a traditional diamond-shaped kite, you will need two sticks.
- One stick should be shorter than the other, at a proportion of two-thirds its size. For instance, 24 and 36 inches would be appropriate.³ ⁴
- Other ratios, such as 20 and 24 inches, also work.⁵
- These sticks or "spars" may be wooden dowels or lightweight wooden sticks without knots.⁶
Lay sticks down on the ground or on your workspace in the shape of a cross—one on top of the other.
Using kite string, fishing line or twine, tie the sticks together where the meet, making sure to keep them perpendicular to each other.⁵
Pull and knot the string tightly.

The Support

Next, take a razor blade or craft knife and cut notches (about one-eighth-inch deep) at the very tip of each stick's ends.⁶
- If you don't have a blade of some kind, you also may tie tight knots around each end with your string.³
Thread your string of choice through the notch of each tip around the perimeter, creating a diamond shape. Before moving onto the next notch, wrap your string around the tip of the one you just threaded.
- You may want to go around twice for good measure.⁵
Stop threading on the same notch at which you started, then tie it off securely.

Step 3: Giving it Wings

(Creative Commons photo by John Pearson)

Once you've put together a string "skeleton" for your kite, it's time to let your creativity run free on your kite's body or sail.

Gather large sheets of tissue paper, crepe paper or newspaper.⁶ ³ ⁴ Cut your paper in a diamond shape with the frame as a your guide, but cut an excess of at least 1-2 inches so that the paper is larger than the frame.⁶ ⁴
- The more the lightweight the paper, the better the kite will fly. But it also can make the sail more prone to breakage.⁶
Lay your frame down on top of the paper and center it. On each side of the frame's perimeter, fold the excess paper over the sticks and either glue or tape the edges of the paper onto itself inside the frame.

Step 4: Tethers and Tails

Now that your kite's form has come into focus, you need to finish out its function. You'll need a kite line to control its flight and a tail for stability.

To take flight, your kite needs a bridle, which is the piece of string that runs vertically down the longest section and connects your kite to the kite string reel. It also provides stability. Cut a piece of a string 3.5-4 feet long (that's at least half a foot or as much as 1 foot longer than your longest stick).⁴ ⁶
Tie one end of the string to the top of your kite frame, make and knot a small loop near where the crux of the sticks is, then continue on down and tie the other end of the string to the bottom of the frame (the tip of the longer stick).
Attach your roll of kite line to the bridle by tying the end of your string tightly to the loop you made in the step above.
Create a tail for both stability and looks by tying yet another long piece of string (up to 6 feet long) to the bottom of your kite skeleton.
Tie ribbons or pieces of cloth about 8 inches apart all the way down the tail.⁶ ⁵

Step 5: Ready to Fly