This glass bead suncatcher looks SO PRETTY sparkling in the sun! And best of all, it’s super easy to make — add glue to a sour cream or yogurt container lid and add your glass beads. It’s quick, simple, and a super fun way to use glass beads!
DIY Suncatchers with Glass Beads
Glass bead suncatchers are so colourful and cheerful! Hang them in the window and they brighten up the room as the sun shines through the colourful beads.
We got all the supplies for these suncatchers at the dollar store, so they’re also really inexpensive to make! Just make sure you use clear glue, not white glue, because not all white glue dries clear. (I tried white glue for this craft the first time around and learned that the hard way!)
These suncatchers with glass beads also make great homemade gifts! It’s so easy to customize them! Make red and green suncatchers for Christmas gifts (they also look pretty as an ornament!), or choose your favourite colours to make a design. You can even add other types of glass or plastic beads for even more colour and texture.
Check out our Glass Bead Suncatcher video tutorial:
*Note: Scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial.
Looking for more great craft ideas? Here’s some of our favourites:
Here’s what you’ll need:
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The full printable instructions are at the end of this post, but here’s a list of products on Amazon and Target that are similar to the supplies we used:
- Glass beads
- Clear glue
- Plastic lid
- Needle
- Fishing line
- Suction cup hooks
What type of glass beads are best to use?
The “beads” used in this suncatcher are not traditional beads (with a hole in a middle). This type of glass bead is sometimes referred to as a “flat glass marble” or “flat glass gem” – the kind you often find in vases or candleholders.
For this project you can use any type of flat, smooth glass. You can also use sea glass, or regular plastic or glass beads (the kinds with the holes in them), as long as they’re clear or translucent.
Where can I get flat glass beads?
We got our glass beads from the dollar store, but the colour selection there was really limited. Search Amazon for flat glass marbles for more colour choices.
Michaels, Walmart, and other craft stores should also carry them – usually alongside the candles holders and vases.
What type of lid is best to use?
We used a sour cream lid with a diameter of 4.5 inches. You want to use a lid that is flexible, to make it easy for the suncatcher to come out of the “mold” once it’s dry. Any type of plastic lid can be used – yogurt, cottage cheese, margarine, etc.
These lids can also be reused to make more suncatchers in the future – simply peel off any remaining glue once your suncatcher is removed from the lid.
Can I hang this glass bead suncatcher outside?
Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend putting this suncatcher outside, as the Elmer’s clear school glue is washable and the suncatcher would start to fall apart if exposed to rain or snow.
If you’re in a warmer southern climate you also want to make sure the suncatcher doesn’t receive constant sun – I’ve heard reports that the glue will start to melt if under direct sunlight for too long. Our suncatcher only receives a few hours of direct sun, and it has held up well.
How to Make a Suncatcher with Glass Beads
Materials:
- 27 Glass beads (number approximate; will depend on lid size)
- Clear glue
- Fishing line
- Suction cup (with hook)
Equipment:
- Shallow plastic lid (4.5 inches in diameter)
- Needle
Instructions:
- Cover the bottom of a plastic lid with clear glue. Don't fill the entire lid - just add enough to create a thin layer of glue.
- Press the glass beads into the glue, flat side down.
- Continue placing beads in whatever pattern you'd like (or randomly!). Make sure to add as many beads as you can to fill the entire lid.
- Allow the glue to dry for 4 - 5 days.You'll know the glue is dry when it peels away easily from the lid.
- Once the glue is dry, remove the suncatcher from the plastic lid.
- Using a thick needle, poke a hole in a thinner part of the glue.
- Cut approximately 11 inches of fishing line and feed it through the newly made hole.
- Tie a knot in the fishing line and attach it to the hook of a suction cup.
- Hang your suncatcher in the window and enjoy the colourful light shining through.Your glass bead suncatcher is complete!
Helpful Tip:
This suncatcher is one of the easiest crafts we’ve made this year! You can make it in a few minutes, and they look so pretty shining in the sun. Try making one with glitter glue for an extra fun sparkle!
Here’s even more great craft ideas:
Stained Glass Suncatcher Craft
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble |  Books- A- Million |  Indiebound |  Indigo |  Amazon Canada
I made this project. Very easy and fun to do. But when I hung it up, it turned inward, is it because I didn’t use enough glue?
Hi Betty! Not enough glue might be a reason… or maybe it wasn’t completely dry?
What about using hot glue instead? Obviously, not being able to get it out of the container once dry is the main concern, but maybe it would still peel off easily?
Hi Brianne! I do think hot glue would probably peel off the plastic fine. I don’t know that it would dry as clear or as nice, though, or if it would even stay stuck to the glass… but we’d love to hear how it goes if you try it!
The sun catcher is small but the string isn’t holding it and it’s ripping. I’ve tried to reinforce with more glue but no luck. Any ideas?
Hi Mary – sorry to hear this is happening! Did you use clear Elmer’s glue? And what kind of string are you using?
We haven’t had this issue, so I’m not sure what could be happening… perhaps not enough glue to start with, or the glue not staying solid enough if it’s hung in a really sunny location.
Hi,
I made this with my granddaughter. The problem we had is the glue kept shrinking as it dried leaving holes. Every day we checked it and there was a new hole where it shrank. We just kept adding more and more glue as it dried. It took a good week to finally finally stop shrinking so there weren’t any holes. We used 4-5 inch plastic lids and almost an entire bottle of clear Elmer’s glue.
Hi Alyson! Yes, the glue definitely shrinks a bit as it dries, which is why you need a good layer in the bottom. We didn’t have any issues with holes, but I’m glad you were able to fix yours up. 🙂
We did this project, but instead of using it as a suncatcher we used it as a table coaster. Love it!
Sounds like a fun idea, Sara! Do you use it for cold drinks only? I’m curious how it would hold up against a warm mug.