On the Solstice, Make a Sun's Eye

Hey, kids, welcome to PatchCamp!

Today is the longest day of the year, and so, in honor of the summer solstice, we’re going to make a Sun’s Eye.

For this project, you will need:

sticks (or craft sticks)

glue

yarn, string or ribbon

colored markers

First, place the sticks in an “X” pattern and glue them. You can use two, or four, or six as in the photo, whatever you like. Two is probably easiest. Let the glue dry.

Then wrap the material around the X in both directions, until the X is secure. Tie the material and cut off the extra.

If you have different colored yarns, pick one of the colors and tie the end around one of the sticks, at the center, near the yarn you just tied. 

Draw the material to the nearest stick, loop it around the stick once, and pull it tight. Then pull the material to the next stick – go in a circular pattern, clockwise or counter clockwise, it doesn’t matter – loop it around that stick once, pull it tight, then go on to the next stick, etc.

Continue like this until you’ve reached the ends of the sticks. Make sure the loops sit snugly against each other.

When you want to change yarn or ribbon colors, or you’re getting close to the end of your material, make a knot instead of a loop, and just start again in the same spot.

If you’ve used string, the kids can color the Sun’s Eye afterwards, with colored markers. If you have different colors of yarn, they can make a pattern with the colors, going three rounds with one color, then four rounds with another, and two with another (or whatever you like).

At the end, take a length of string or yarn, tie it around one of the sticks, and hang it against a wall or in a window.

And take a photo and upload it to this story! Or send it to carrie.jacobson@patch.com, and it will appear on the Montville Patch!