These “stained glass” leaf suncatchers turn a sunny window into a colourful fall display! The bold black outlines and bright sections of colour give each leaf a stained glass look, and they’re especially pretty when the sunlight shines through them.
Use our printable leaf templates to make maple, oak, aspen, and other autumn leaves. Then have fun mixing classic reds, oranges, and yellows with unexpected pops of pink, blue, or green. Every leaf comes out a little different, so kids can create a whole collection of colourful fall window clings to decorate the house or classroom.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support our website and allows us to keep creating fun, free content.
How to Make “Stained Glass” Leaf Suncatchers
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Prepare your template
- Print one of our free leaf templates. A download link can be found in the materials list above, with more details below the tutorial.
- For our “glass” we’re using an overhead transparency sheet.
- Tape the transparency to the template so it doesn’t move as you work.
Step 3: Make the stained glass outline
- Go around the outline of the leaf with black puffy paint.Make sure you shake the bottle of paint well first.
- Then add vein details for the leaf, separating it into different sections.Allow to dry at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Step 4: Colour the suncatcher
- Gather a few colours or shades of permanent marker to decorate the inside of your leaf.You can choose realistic fall leaf shades like we have, or make them more fantastical with rainbow shades.
- Colour inside the leaf sections, using the tip of the marker to get close to the lines.You can choose a main colour for the center of the leaf, or make a more patchwork design where the same colour isn’t next to itself.
- Repeat until the whole leaf is coloured in.
- Then cut around the leaf shape. You don’t have to go too close to the lines or make it perfect, since the outside is clear and isn’t seen.
- Your stained glass leaf suncatcher is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Use a template or draw your own leaves: Our leaf templates make it easy to get a nice, recognizable shape, but you can also freehand your own design. Another option is to sketch a leaf on paper with pencil first, then place the plastic over top and trace it just like you would with a template.
- Let the paint dry completely: Puffy paint can feel dry after about 4 to 5 hours, but we recommend leaving the suncatchers overnight. This gives the paint plenty of time to set completely so you don’t accidentally smush the outlines when you colour or handle them.
Where can I get templates to make these leaf suncatchers?
We have 5 styles of leaf templates available in a number of different sizes. We used the medium size leaves to make our suncatchers.
If you don’t see the exact size of leaf you’re looking for, simply use your printer settings to scale the template before printing!
What kind of plastic should I use for leaf suncatchers?
You’ll need a clear, fairly sturdy piece of plastic that will let the light shine through. A few good options are:
- Transparency film
- A laminating pouch that’s been run through a laminator
- A flat piece cut from a clear plastic clamshell bakery container
Whatever you use, make sure the surface is clean and smooth before you start drawing your design.
Do I have to use puffy paint to make these stained glass leaf suncatchers?
No, but we really like puffy paint for this project because the raised black lines look a lot like the leading on real stained glass.
You can also make black glue by mixing roughly equal parts black acrylic paint and white school glue, then use it to draw the outlines.
For an even simpler option, draw the leaf outlines with a thick black permanent marker. Then colour the sections on the opposite side of the plastic. This keeps the black outlines crisp and neat on the front of the finished suncatcher.
These stained glass leaf suncatchers are such a pretty way to bring fall colour indoors. Hang a few in a sunny window and watch the bright sections glow as the light shines through, or fill the whole window with a mix of different leaf shapes and colours for an eye-catching autumn display.
Here’s even more leaf craft ideas:
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
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 | Amazon Canada
Leave a Reply