There are some truly classic craft projects out there, the kind that never get old or go out of style. This wind spinner, made from a recycled plastic bottle is a perfect example. Kids have been making wind spinners for years, only now; we have pretty colored Duck Tape to decorate them!
This is one of those crafts that the kids can enjoy day after day. You hang it outside from a tree branch or on a shepherd’s hook, and watch it spin every time a breeze comes through.
This is actually a rather useful project as well. If you have a vegetable garden, especially one with tomatoes or berries that birds like to get into, hang one or several wind spinners to keep the birds out. The movement of the wind spinner deters the birds from landing and feasting on your long awaited harvest!
You can see it in action with a light breeze by watching the short demonstration video below:
This is a great way to recycle plastic bottles into something fun to watch and the kids will love making them. Heck, you might too!
Start by washing out your bottle and removing any labels. Cover the middle section of the bottle with white tape. You can cut different colored tape into strips to create a stripe effect like I have.
Starting from the top of the tape and ending at the bottom of the tape, cut vertical slits in the bottle, about ¾” apart.
Push the top of the bottle toward the bottom of the bottle. This will cause the slits to collapse. Hold it in place and fold each slit in the center, creating a crease.
Next angle the slits by making folds at the top and bottom of each slit. This allows the wind to catch them and make it spin. At the top of each slit make a 45-degree fold to the right. At the bottom of each slit make a 45-degree fold to the left.
Cut a small hole in the top of the bottle cap. Unfold and stretch the paper clip out and thread it through the looped end of the swivel.
NOTE: A snap swivel is a piece of fishing tackle available anywhere that sells tackle, such as Walmart. Look for them in packages in the fishing aisle of the sporting goods section. They are inexpensive, a couple dollars for a package. The swivel is used so that the fishing line that your wind spinner is hanging from does not tangle around itself.
Twist the paper clip together then insert it into the hole in the top of the bottle cap. Bend the ends of the paper clip so that it can’t come back out the hole.
Twist the cap onto the bottom and hang from the open end of the swivel using fishing line.
- 1-liter plastic bottle
- Colored Duck Tape or electrical tape
- Box cutter or craft knife
- Scissors
- Snap swivel
- Coated paper clip
- Fishing line
- Start by washing out your bottle and removing any labels. Cover the middle section of the bottle with tape. You can cut different colored tape into strips to create a stripe effect like we have.
- Starting from the top of the tape and ending at the bottom of the tape, cut vertical slits in the bottle, about ¾” apart.
- Push the top of the bottle toward the bottom of the bottle. This will cause the slits to collapse. Hold it in place and fold each slit in the center, creating a crease.
- Next angle the slits by making folds at the top and bottom of each slit. This allows the wind to catch them and make it spin. At the top of each slit make a 45-degree fold to the right. At the bottom of each slit make a 45-degree fold to the left.
- Cut a small hole in the top of the bottle cap.
- Unfold and stretch the paper clip out and thread it through the looped end of the swivel. Twist the paper clip together then insert it into the hole in the top of the bottle cap. Bend the ends of the paper clip so that it can’t come back out the hole.
Amanda Formaro
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