Light Hanger for Pop-up Sun Shelter or Other Over-head Use

I have had a pop-up sun shelter for several years and have recently discovered a need for lighting with it. I have used it for night building in my back yard but had to stop when the sun had gone down. I screwed a hanging hook into the peak, but my lanterns did not light the center of the shelter very well. After seeing a plant hanger I made some time ago, I realized I could make use of the Phillips Hue I own to solve the problem by making a hanging rig.

Supplies

Hue light

T-shirt, macrame cord, small rope, or any kind of strong string

5-inch wire ring. To make this a recycled craft, I made this out of a clothes hanger.

Smaller ring or large keyring

Tools

Scissors

tape

Wire cutters for clothes hanger

a small scrap of cardstock (optional)

If you want your light to look a little more polished, you can use macrame cord or paracord instead of t-shirt strips.

Step 1: Cutting T Shirt

If you are using a clothes hanger, Cut off a length of it and bend it into a circle slightly smaller than the light. Cut the t-shirt into strips about 1 inch wide. You'll need 1 long strip and five shorter ones. Stretch the t-shirt material by pulling both ends of each strip. Wrap the hoop with the long one then tie the shorter ones at 90 degrees from each other. Set aside the 5th strip as it will be used for a later step.

If you're using paracord, wrap the hoop then cut the five shorter pieces approximately 24" long each, burning the ends with a flame to keep them from unraveling, then tie 4 of the shorter pieces as outlined above.

Step 2: Placing the Light

Lay the circle on a table and spread the strands out. Place the light face-down on the hoop as centered as possible. Separate the strands of each duo as shown in preparation for the next step.

Step 3: Tying the Strips

Take a strip from one duo and one from the duo next to it and tie it into a knot. Tie strands opposite the first and tie a knot. Move to each side and tie a knot. There should be 4 knots made from neighboring duos around the dome of the light.

Step 4: Forming the Hanger

Tie the ends opposite each other over the switch. Here you may need to place a small scrap of cardstock over the on/off button to keep from turning it on and changing the setting while you are doing the rest of this step. Loop the ends of the strips through a small metal rind or large keyring. Hold them down as you wrap, tucking the start end under as you begin your wrap. Wrap the entire strip around the fabric between the top of the light and the ring and tuck the last little bit under the last wrap. Trim excess material and remove cardstock piece.

If you have used paracord or macrame, the same procedure should be followed with more care to wrap the cord in a precise manner. It will look neater in the long run.

Step 5: Finishing

I used a sturdy hook to screw into my shelter's peak hardware. It does not interfere with the mechanics of the shelter and is centrally located in the awning. Your shelter may have a different mechanism so be careful when adding your hook. Turn on the light then simply hang the ring on the hook. It's a pretty bright light that fills the area. It is simple to use your cell phone with the Phillips Hue light to change the light's color and brightness as well as turning it on and off, and the charging plug accessible. You can also use it for light in sheds, garages, and playhouses.