If you're looking for a cute little decorative project to make with your kids or youth group, that doesn't cost a lot, make this Rope Rainbow.
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Decorative Rainbows made from yarn have been around for a while. I'm not sure who originally came up with the project, but they were super creative and smart! Who would have thought that some rope and yarn could turn out so cute??
When I volunteered to be in charge of crafts for our church's girls youth camp, I brainstormed for several weeks to come up with inexpensive and fun craft ideas. Of course I searched Pinterest and saw cute rainbows everywhere, so I knew rope rainbows would be a hit. I just had to figure out how to do them for 100+ people and not spend very much money. With the following supplies and directions, I was able to put together kits to make rope rainbows for about $.35 per rainbow.
How to Make Decorative Rope Rainbows ON A BUDGET
With a rope rainbow, I found that you really only need 2 basic things: rope and yarn. The yarn was easy to find. I had some in my stash and I was able to supplement that with yarn that was basically being given away in my area on the Facebook Marketplace. So yarn didn't figure into my cost. But if you have to purchase it new, keep in mind that yarn goes on sale every other week at Hobby Lobby.
Rope was a different story. I really wanted to use 1 inch thick cotton rope, like this, but at $50 a spool, that was way out of my budget. So I searched online and in local stores and came up with 100 feet of 1/4" rope that was less than $6 a spool at Walmart. I decided to double up the pieces and it worked perfectly. You can also find rope for a little bit more money here.
Cut Rope. I cut 2 pieces of rope in each of the following sizes
- 8 inches
- 9.5 inches
- 11 inches
If the rope is difficult to cut with scissors, use gardening shears, like these.
Wrap Rope with Yarn. Starting about 1.5 inches from the end of the rope, wrap yarn around the 2 pieces of rope that are the same size. The double rope pieces makes it a little bit thicker and more substantial. Tie the rope in a simple knot at the end. Repeat with other 2 colors of yarn. You will probably need about 3-4 yards of yarn for each color.
Hot Glue Arcs Together. Once you have wrapped the rope with the yarn, manipulate the arcs how you would like them to lay. The smallest arc is on the inside and the largest arc ins on the outside. Turn rainbow to the back and run a bunch of hot glue between the arcs of the rainbow to hold it all together. It doesn't have to look great, it just has to hold the rainbow together.
Trim Rope Ends. Then trim the ends of the rope so they are all even.
Fluff ends of rope. Fluff the ends of the rope by unwinding the rope and little bit and brushing it out to look like clouds.
Make a Hanger. Use a small piece of yarn to make a hanger for the rainbow. Hot glue it in place. And then the rainbow is ready to display.
I displayed my rainbow on the message board above my desk.
This Decorative Rope Rainbow is a great budget friendly craft to make with your kids or your youth group.
