Solstice Celebration Lantern Walk Lantern making instructions We invite you participate in a night of community magic! Sunday December 20, at 5:00 pm River Walk Hillsborough, NC Parking at the Eno River Parking Deck behind Weaver Street Market. This is a community participatory event! not a spectator event. All Participants must have a lantern to join the Solstice Lantern walk. To join the walk, be sure to register here: http://ow.ly/vls7q This is the River Walk Please note that there is no room for spectators so if you want to join the walk you must have your handmade Lantern! --- Join us!
Making Winter White Lanterns The theme is Winter White Please keep all creations white (no colors) but accents of gold and silver are ok IMPORTANT NOTE: Candles or any type of flames are strictly prohibited from the walk. Lanterns are lit with LED lights Constructing Lanterns with sticks reed or saplings This manual is designed to help you create your handmade lanterns. Starting with a framework of sticks and or reed, the basic shape is covered with tissue paper soaked in glue and lit internally by battery powered LED Light/s. The lantern can be carried on a bamboo stick to join in the Solstice Celebration Lantern Walk at River Walk. If you have not made a lantern before, try some of the simple shapes first, before embarking on more ambitious projects. More elaborate designs can be illuminated by a loom of small LED bulbs. At the end of this document you will find a list of all the materials you will need. The Lantern walk will be a Winter White theme. All Lanterns will be white. Silhouettes from cut paper are an effective and cheap way of adding detail. Once you are familiar with making simple lanterns, you can try more ambitious sculptural forms, using bamboo for strength. Large lanterns may be carried with a bamboo pole and even on a backpack with a pole Joints can wired, or simply taped together. White cloth (natural fiber) also makes a strong covering. Inexpensive remnants can be found at a fabric store. Figurative lanterns can be constructed on a back pack an old rucksack frame will do and worn. Remember, triangles are vital for stability in construction. Those who have participated in Handmade Parade workshops are familiar with these techniques. The same techniques we use to create puppets will work for lanterns. The only difference is that the covering will be transparent with paper mache, fabric or paper.
Balloons can be used as a form for a Lantern Paint a wash of Glue on the balloon then add strips of tissue paper or tracing paper painting it on with the glue mixture. Add at least 4 to 5 layers for strength. You can add decorations to the Lantern while still wet. Dip yarn in the glue mixture and wrap on the lantern. You can also sprinkle glitter on while it is still wet. Once dry, pop the balloon and voila! You have a lantern! Once dry you can also cut windows and designs on your creation. Add a wire to hang your LED light or strand inside then hang from a 3 to 4 foot bamboo pole with wire.
Making Your Lantern WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1. A. bamboo sticks or reed B. masking tape C. strapping tape D. scissors E. pliers F. LED lights G. thin wire H. strong tissue paper it must be wet strength tissue paper) or tracing paper. I. white Elmer s glue. J. piece of sponge or foam rubber TO MAKE A SIMPLE PYRAMID: 5. Measure the vertical to the height you want, cut 4 pieces 8. Use a variety of designs remember they will show up in silhouette. 2. 2. Cut 4 pieces the same length for the base. 6. Join them at each corner and firmly together at the top. 3. Join them at the corners with masking tape, or strapping 3. 9. Make a door the same shape as one of your sections on the bottom. 7. Decorate and strengthen the sides 10. Fix it on with wire hinges Then make a wire hook at the top to
4. Add 2 diagonals. hang from a bamboo pole.
Balloon construction Reed Construction Bamboo and Reed Fish (ready for lights and fabric covering)
Materials An excellent local source for sticks is local bamboo. Most neighbors are glad to have it thinned. Select small diameter pieces about pencil size and slightly larger. Bamboo sticks can also be purchased at garden centers. An excellent local source of flexible saplings is Eleagnus shrubs (also known as Silverberry) these are fairly common landscape plants. They send up long shoots that can be cut from the shrub. Then strip the leaves and bundle to bring home. All the following are easily obtained at local stores. PVA Glue or white water-based Elmer s glue or Mod Podge To use glue for paper mache simply add approximately ¼ cup of water to 2 cups of glue and mix. Packing tape (narrow with fiber reinforcing) or Gaffers Tape Wide duct tape, white (rip into narrow strips) Strapping tape Thin Wire Battery Powered clear LED lights (single and/or strands) Sponges Garden Bamboo used as carrying poles Hot glue gun (use for applying glue along sticks to attach fabric) Strong Tissue Paper Wet Strength or tracing paper Fabric -- Inexpensive remnants can be found at a fabric store.
DESIGNING YOUR LANTERN People could make images of where they live their home or well known landmarks, such as the bridge, the Town Hall Clock, animals, fish, boats, plants and stars are great additions to a Lantern walk. In other words absolutely anything can be used as the basis for a lantern! Get a group of friends or family together and use your imagination! TRAVEL PLANS Parking: Eno River Parking deck behind Weaver Street Grocery Arrival Time The walk begins at 5:00 pm. Allow enough time to park -- gather your materials and assemble. Remember that only those with lanterns will be allowed on the walk. Please arrive no less than 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the walk. Choose a safe place to get ready in, safely off the road and not in car lanes. The walk will be a loop and take approximately 30 to 45 minutes returning to the Parking Deck