My girls love flying kites; we also love family crafting and just about every holiday. So I felt the need to combine all these to celebrate our nation! This fun and simple craft can be done with things around your house. I chose to purchase some red and white striped ribbon to be patriotic, but really this windsock can be easily transformed into a project for any season by switching the colors or patterns. I can easily see a bright neon-pink can flying high with some floral ribbon streamers flowing from the bottom on our house this summer!

 

Here’s what you need:

  • A tin can – This can be anything from an old paint can (washed out thoroughly of course) to a coffee can, even a baby formula container would work.
  • Spray paint for the outside of your can
  • Ribbon streamers – I felt a yard per streamer worked nicely, depending on the width of your ribbon and spacing on your can. I used 24 ribbons.
  • Hot glue to secure the ribbons
  • Wire or twine to hang your windsock
  • Screwdriver or drill to poke holes for hanging your finished project

 

Here’s what you do:

 

  1. Now, the process is simple and takes all of about 15 minutes, not counting the time for your paint to dry.
  2. Remove anything remaining in or on your can; this includes the paper that might be glued to the outside. My girls had a great time with this!
  3. Next, clean out the empty can with some soap and water and then dry thoroughly.
  4. Take a can opener and remove the bottom of the can so it has no top or bottom, just a cylinder shape.
  5. Now for the fun part: grab your favorite color of spray paint and coat the outside of your tin can. After the can has dried, simply hot glue the ribbons to the inside edge. I used pinking shears and cross-grain ribbon to minimize fraying.
  6. Make two holes on either side of the top of your can (the side opposite the attached ribbons) and poke your rope through the holes, tying a knot on the inside so that it stays securely.
  7. Now hang your flag and fly it with pride!