Rainbow Wind Catcher

Materials

• 7 mesh plastic canvas sheets (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, and purple), one 10½x13½-in. sheet of each color for every 22 children
• Black chenille stems, 1 per child
• Black mini pony beads, 27 per child
• “God Keeps His Promises” signs pattern
• Clear transparency sheets, 1 sheet for every 12 children
• Fishing swivel, 1 per child

Tools and Basic Supplies

• Scissors
• 1/4-in. hole punch
• Zippered baggies

Pre-Prep

1. Starting with the long (13½-in.) sides, use scissors to cut the canvas sheets into long strips cutting through every 4th row of squares. For each sheet, you should end up with 22 strips that are 3 holes wide and 10½-in. long.
2. Cut each of the strips in half and keep together in pairs.
3. Photocopy the “God Keeps His Promises” signs pattern onto transparency sheets. Then cut out the signs and punch a hole near the top center of each, 1 per child.
4. Place pairs of canvas strips (all 7 colors), a black chenille stem, 27 mini pony beads, a "God Keeps His Promises" sign, and a fishing swivel into zippered baggies, 1 per child.

Teaching Tie-In

Show the sample craft and say:

The rainbow wind catcher you’re making today is cool because you can take it outside and hang it up, then watch it twirl in the wind. What can it remind you of when you see it? Take answers. Although people sometimes use rainbows to represent things other than God, the whole idea of the rainbow came from God. He invented rainbows and wants us to remember Him when we see one in the sky.

Class Time Directions

1. Make a loop at one end of the black chenille stem, but before closing the loop, thread the spinner (fishing swivel) onto the stem. Then close the loop and twist the end to secure it.
2. Take a red canvas strip and thread one end (center hole) onto the chenille stem and push it all the way down to the loop you just made. Follow that with a mini black pony bead.
3. Thread the other red strip the same way and follow with another pony bead.
4. Continue this procedure with the two orange strips, then yellow, green, blue, navy, and purple, making sure to thread a mini black pony bead between each strip.
5. After the last strip is threaded onto the chenille stem (followed by a black pony bead), take the loose end of the first red strip and thread it onto the chenille stem. As always, follow with a pony bead.
6. Continue this procedure with the rest of the strips, in order, until both ends of all the strips have been threaded onto the chenille stem. There won’t be a pony bead after the last end is threaded.
7. Now make a loop with the portion of the black stem that remains, but before closing the loop, thread the "God Keeps His Promises" sign onto the stem. Then close the loop and twist the end to secure it. Now your Rainbow Wind Catcher is ready to hang.

Tip Corner

• To save a little time and money, use 6 colors of plastic canvas instead of 7.

Super Simple Idea

Try the following Oriental Trading Company craft kit. (Call 1-800-875-8480 or visit www.orientaltrading.com.)

• “God Keeps His Promises” Rainbow Magnet Craft Kit (IN-48/1326)—Manufacturer does not recommend this for children under 3 years of age.