Celebrate Independence Day by making a DIY 4th of July Melted Bead Craft! Red, white, and blue pony beads melt into a star shaped suncatcher to hang in the window. This is a fast, inexpensive and patriotic summer kids craft!
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Cute Craft Alert: Red, White, and Blue Pony Beads Craft!
I had extra red, white, and blue pony beads left from making a Flag Day Holiday Key Chain Craft. They were begging to be used in another craft! Let’s use them for a fun 4th of July activity …a melted pony bead suncatcher!
So come along and try melting pony beads into a cookie cutter shape. For the Fourth I tried star (and heart) shapes. I think they will look great hanging in a window or on a mobile.
Happy 4th of July to those in the US! However you can adapt the colors for celebrating other holidays or elsewhere in the world!
Supplies
Here’s what you need for melting plastic beads to make suncatchers!
- Pony beads- For the 4th of July you will need red, white, and blue pony beads for this Melted Pony Bead Craft.
- Cookie cutters- Use metal star cookie cutters (not plastic) as a form for the suncatchers.
- Small baking pan- Use a flat bottomed baking pan to hold the craft while it’s in the oven.
- Aluminum foil- Line the pan with aluminum foil.
- String or fishing line- Use a small string or fishing line to hang the ornament.
- Toothpicks- A toothpick works well to move beads around in the cookie cutters. And to move the melting plastic into areas where there are holes as the beads melt.
Equipment
This extra equipment is helpful in making a melted bead suncatcher.
- Toaster oven- It is best to use a toaster oven that you set outdoors to bake this craft.
- Or grill- A second option is to use an outdoor grill to bake the craft.
- Drill and small drill bit- I used a drill and a 3/16th inch bit to drill a small hole for hanging the craft.
How to Make a Melted Bead Suncatcher
Prepping the pan, cookie cutters, and beads
Line your baking pan with aluminum foil to protect it from the melting plastic.
Set the metal cookie cutters in the pan making sure they are sitting flat. I used star shaped metal cookie cutters for the Fourth of July.
Cover the area inside the cookie cutter with pony beads. Red, white, and blue beads work well for the 4th of July but any colors can be used. The beads should only be one layer thick. But I would add a few extra in the smaller points or curves of the cookie cutter.
Melting beads for suncatchers
Place the toaster oven outdoors and heat to 400 degrees. The outdoor grill is a second option.
Place the baking pan into the heat. My pony beads took about 20 minutes to melt. Keep watching the beads to get them to melt but not to bubble up.
When the beads are almost melted, use a toothpick to move a bit of plastic around to cover holes.
Carefully take the baking pan out of the oven and place it on a potholder to cool.
Final steps
When cool, carefully pull out on the metal cookie cutter to pop the plastic shape out.
Drill a hole in the top of your melted pony bead suncatcher with a drill and a small drill bit.
Tie a string or fishing wire through the hole to the length you want.
Hang your patriotic suncatcher craft in the window with a suction cup or hang them on a mobile.
Craft Tips
These tips can help make melted plastic bead suncatchers even easier!
- Foil in pan- Set the pan on top of the foil and trace around it with a pencil. Then cut the aluminum foil out slightly smaller than the line you drew. Place this in the pan.
- Outdoor baking- Place your toaster oven out on the porch or fire up the grill to melt the pony beads outdoors. This will keep fumes out of your home.
- Toothpicks- Take the baking pan out of the oven when the pony beads are almost melted. Pull a bit of the plastic over to cover holes in the surface area or close to the edge of the cookie cutters.
- Full length video- Watch the full length video on YouTube to make the craft along with me.
Craft Variations
Want to switch things up? Here are a few ways you can customize and melt plastic beads to make suncatchers.
- Glow in the dark beads- What? Glow in the dark beads? That would make the suncatcher you make glow in the dark too.
- See through beads- There are pony beads that are translucent and then the sun would shine through them in a window.
- Mobile- The suncatchers could be hung from a dowel rod to make a mobile.
FAQ
Melting plastic causes fumes. I recommend a toaster oven or a grill outdoors when making this craft. If done in an oven it must be very well ventilated.
Place the beads inside the area of a metal cookie cutter. The cookie cutters are in a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees until the beads are melted but not bubbling, about 20 minutes. Bake outside in a toaster oven or a grill.
At what temperature do pony beads melt?
Pony beads melt at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to make melted bead art?
Put metal cookie cutters in a baking pan. Put the plastic beads inside the area of the cookie cutter. Bake at 400 degrees outdoors in a toaster oven or a grill.
More DIY July 4th Crafts for Kids
Looking for more easy 4th of July crafts to try? Here are a few of our favorites:
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DIY 4th of July Melted Beads Craft
Equipment
- Toaster oven a toaster oven or use an outdoor grill
- Drill and small drill bit drill and a 3/16th inch bit t
Items Required
Instructions
Prepping the pan, cookie cutters, and beads
- Line your baking pan with aluminum foil to protect it from the melting plastic. Set the metal cookie cutters in the pan making sure they are sitting flat. I used star shaped metal cookie cutters for the Fourth of July.Cover the area inside the cookie cutter with pony beads. Red, white, and blue beads work well for the 4th of July but any colors can be used. The beads should only be one layer thick. But I would add a few extra in the smaller points or curves of the cookie cutter.
Melting beads for suncatchers
- Place the toaster oven outdoors and heat to 400 degrees. The outdoor grill is a second option.Place the baking pan into the heat. My pony beads took about 20 minutes to melt. Keep watching the beads to get them to melt but not to bubble up. When the beads are almost melted, use a toothpick to move a bit of plastic around to cover holes.Carefully take the baking pan out of the oven and place it on a potholder to cool.
Final steps
- When cool, carefully pull out on the metal cookie cutter to pop the plastic shape out.Drill a hole in the top of your melted pony bead suncatcher with a drill and a small drill bit.Tie a string or fishing wire through the hole to the length you want.Hang your patriotic suncatcher craft in the window with a suction cup or hang them on a mobile.
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