We made these for my sisters wedding, they are cheap and easy to make ( although depending on how many you want they take a little time) but they look beautiful. And you get to reuse some of those plastic bottles.
Step 1: Gather Materials
To make these you will need
Clear plastic 2 liter bottle (empty)
Liquid lead ( gray or silver)
Translucent glass paint ( we did another batch later and used acrylic i will attcah a pic at the end)
Fishing Line
Paper
Marker
TOOLS:
Paintbrush
Scissors
Needle ( or other small pokey tool)
Space for Drying
Step 2: Create Template
Draw a Butterfly the size and shape you want to make on a piece of paper ( any type of paper will do). Add lines to define the patterns on the wings - this will be used in the next step.
If you can't draw a butterfly i am sure you could find lots of pictures online.
Cut out your paper butterfly. This will be your template
Cut the plastic bottle into squares roughly the size of your template
Place the paper butterfly template on the plastic square and cut the plastic to match the template
Repeat as many times as you want
now you have a bunch of plastic butterfly shapes
If you can't draw a butterfly i am sure you could find lots of pictures online.
Cut out your paper butterfly. This will be your template
Cut the plastic bottle into squares roughly the size of your template
Place the paper butterfly template on the plastic square and cut the plastic to match the template
Repeat as many times as you want
now you have a bunch of plastic butterfly shapes
Step 3: Wing Outlines
Now it is time to add some detail.You will be painting on the side that used to be the outside of the bottle - The plastic butterflies will still curl so you want the paint to be on the top/outside when you set them on the table ( creating a tunnel between the table and butterfly)
Use the Liquid Lead( or Liquid Silver) to paint the outlines of the wings, and wing pattern for the butterfly. You can make this as detailed or simple as you like
If you aren't good at free handing you can set the clear plastic on top of the paper template and trace over the lines that were drawn on your template
Set Aside to dry.
I let mine sit overnight but depending on conditions you might be able to do the second step sooner.
Use the Liquid Lead( or Liquid Silver) to paint the outlines of the wings, and wing pattern for the butterfly. You can make this as detailed or simple as you like
If you aren't good at free handing you can set the clear plastic on top of the paper template and trace over the lines that were drawn on your template
Set Aside to dry.
I let mine sit overnight but depending on conditions you might be able to do the second step sooner.
Step 4: Add Color
Once the Outlines are dry you can color in the areas using the transparent glass paint, Or paint the entire thing one color.
We used, Pink and Blue Opalescent Paint for the ones used for the wedding. The other ones used latex paint. and glitter over the top
Here you are just using a paintbrush and the Glass Paint. Paint however you like on the same side of the butterfly as the liquid lead outlines.
Let Dry
We used, Pink and Blue Opalescent Paint for the ones used for the wedding. The other ones used latex paint. and glitter over the top
Here you are just using a paintbrush and the Glass Paint. Paint however you like on the same side of the butterfly as the liquid lead outlines.
Let Dry
Step 5: Hanging Mechanism
For this part you can use the top or bottom of the bottle (or both) depending on which you like better .
If you use the BOTTOM:
Cut the bottom off the bottle evenly all the way around about an inch think.
using the needle poke holes around the open edge of the plastic ring.You will hang a butterfly from each hole so use that to determine how many holes and how far apart you want your holes
Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle. Thread a piece of fishing line through this hole to hang the entire thing.
If you use the TOP:
Cut the pouring spout off. cut the top from the bottle to form a ring of plastic about 2 inches thick.
Poke holes around the wider edge of the plastic ring. You will hang a butterfly from each hole so use that to determine how many holes and how far apart you want your holes.
Poke 3 holes along the other edge to hang the entire thing. These holes should be evenly spaced around the ring. Thread one piece of Fishing line through each of the three holes, tie the three pieces of fishing line together in the center leaving at least one long piece to hang the entire thing from.
If you use the BOTTOM:
Cut the bottom off the bottle evenly all the way around about an inch think.
using the needle poke holes around the open edge of the plastic ring.You will hang a butterfly from each hole so use that to determine how many holes and how far apart you want your holes
Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle. Thread a piece of fishing line through this hole to hang the entire thing.
If you use the TOP:
Cut the pouring spout off. cut the top from the bottle to form a ring of plastic about 2 inches thick.
Poke holes around the wider edge of the plastic ring. You will hang a butterfly from each hole so use that to determine how many holes and how far apart you want your holes.
Poke 3 holes along the other edge to hang the entire thing. These holes should be evenly spaced around the ring. Thread one piece of Fishing line through each of the three holes, tie the three pieces of fishing line together in the center leaving at least one long piece to hang the entire thing from.
Step 6: Assemble
Poke one hole in the top of each Top/Front wing. Take one piece of Fishing line, thread it first through one then the second hole. Bring the leading end around the back of the butterfly and tie the two ends together roughly equidistant from each wing. Leave one end of the fishing line longer than the other so that you can hang the butterfly from this long end.
Thread the longer end of the fishing line from the butterfly through one of the holes in the Hanging ring. Tie Off
Thread the longer end of the fishing line from the butterfly through one of the holes in the Hanging ring. Tie Off
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Darcy777 says:
Jan 19, 2012. 1:06 PMReply
Thank you for posting this Instructable.
mmcclure7 says:
Dec 6, 2011. 11:22 AMReply
where can you buy liquid lead to do this?
djhandwal says:
Nov 9, 2011. 10:00 PMReply
loved these....
17
bagnitsch says:
Sep 26, 2011. 8:20 PMReply
That looks really elegant.
ohthatshowitworks says:
Aug 28, 2011. 10:25 AMReply
Love these!
118
ChrysN says:
Aug 7, 2011. 11:26 AMReplyPretty!
NeuroPulse says:
Aug 6, 2011. 10:13 PMReply
Why do the butterflies in step 3 and 4 look so different? In step 3 the paint is very wiggly, and in step 4 it is straight like wire.
2
faerae (author) says:
Aug 7, 2011. 8:13 AMReply
They were actually from 2 different projects. I didn't have pictures of all the different steps from the first time we made them. I wasn't planning to make an instructable the first time around. So i used photos from both times they were made just to help people visualize what is supposed to be going on. They are both the same but it just depends on speed, patience, and personal style preference to make the lines straight or wiggly.
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