I remember flying kites with my dad when I was little and learning how to make them in our 5th grade geometry class, but I never new much about their history before writing this post.
I had no idea that kites (which were developed in China in the 5th century B.C.) were used to send messages during war and rescue missions. As it developed, kite making spread to Polynesia where kites were used to send religious messages to the Gods. In WWI there were even kites that could lift men into the air to survey the grounds below, and spy on the opposition.
Maybe with practice I could also make a kite to lift my friends in the air, but so far I’ve only mastered the basic kite pattern (and of course you should not try to make a man-lifting kite either unless it is your trained profession).
But leisure kites are a great project to make with your kids, to use in your 5th grade geometry class or to use as an excuse for a summer party with friends. So go get your materials from Goodwill and get started!
What you need:
-Light-weight fabric from Goodwill (polyester lining works well -I used the underskirt of a dress)
-Wooden skewers or small dowels (which you can look for in Goodwill housewares section)
-Tape
-Kite string or monofilament
I made my kite 20in tall so that I could use two wooden skewers for the cross bracing. If you make a much bigger kite you should use slightly bigger dowels. Both crossbars should be the same length and be drawn at right angles to each other.
1. Draw one line, the length of the height of your kite. Then draw a perpendicular line ¼ of the way down from the top of the first line (the same length as the height)
2. Next draw lines connecting the ends of the lines. Cut out half an inch from the outside the lines.
3. Fold the edges over by ½ in and stitch, making sure to fold the corners down first, and then folding the sides on top to make pockets for the crossbars in each corner (follow the red dotted lines on the picture.)
4. Next tape two skewers together for each crossbar to make the appropriate height for your kite. Insert each piece into the corner pockets and tape the joint to hold the crossbars together at right angles. It is also a good idea to tape down the crossbars at a few different intervals.
5. For the bridle, make small holes where indicated on the pattern. Tie each end of a length of monofilament to the dowel behind one of the holes and thread it through to the front of the kite. Secure with tape. You want enough string to give you about 8 inches distance away from the kite. For added stability (to keep the kite from spinning out of control) tie a tail onto your kite by looping it behind the bottom skewer. It should be about 6-10 x the length of your kite. (I used more of the same fabric I used for the kite, but you could also use ribbon.
6. Next tie the rest of your kite string to the bridle. The ideal position is at the kite’s balance point, but it might take a few tries to find, so when I find it (after flying for a bit) I use tape to secure the line in place.
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you are having trouble flying:
Or if it flies unenthusiastically, try moving the string-bridle attachment point a little closer to the tail of the kite.
Make sure you are in an open area with a breeze. If there’s no airflow the kite wont go anywhere!
Or if your kite keeps diving and acting erratically, move the string-bridle attachment point a little towards the top of the kite, or add more tail!
Once you’ve got a breezy day and time with your friends I think you’ll see how much fun flying your own kite can be. If you would like, have a kite design competition or make several kites for your friends to paint (using acrylic paint). See what wild designs you can make. You’ll find almost everything you need for this fun, inexpensive hobby at Goodwill (you might even find a copy of The Kite Runner in the book section too) and you’ll be ready to try it this weekend, or anytime this summer! Happy Kite-ing.