how to make a fabric windsock garden lantern

Hung from a tree or a wrought iron plant hanger, this fairly simple project will make a charmingly mod windsock garden lantern. During the day, it will add interest & texture. At night, it gives off a soft, ambient light that glows like a firefly – a nice touch for a summer evening lazing outside.
Notes:
+ “Windsock” is used to refer to the shape & basic idea, not the application. I wouldn’t personally leave it outside blowing in the wind.
+ All steps are explained but not all steps are shown. Please read the instructions carefully so you don’t miss something. It looks long, but it’s just like making a simple back-tab-top curtain + a drawstring bag in one.
+ I used a 3/8″ seam allowance, except where noted.
+ The design shows 8 tabs, but there are really only 4 tabs! I didn’t realize my misengineering ways until I was ready to thread the lights…so disregard those extra 4 if you see them!!!


Materials:

1. 1 yd 44-45″ wide fabric
2. 5 self-opening/closing metal rings, 1″ or 1.5″ diameter
3. 1 embroidery ring, 10″ diameter
4. 1 24′ strand of white outdoor lights (mine is 24′ of lights, 27′ including cord)
5. lightweight cotton twine or string

Helpful Tools (not critical for completion):

1. rotary cutter
2. sewing gauge with sliding marker
3. 2″ bias tape maker (mine is from Clover)

Make the tabs. Finished size: 1″ wide by 3″ long. Some steps shown above.

1. Cut one fabric strip 4″ wide by 12″ long. Use your 2″ bias tape maker & skip to step 4, or follow all steps below.
2. Fold & press in half (wrong sides together) to make center crease. Open up.
3. Fold each long edge into center crease. Press.
4. Fold in half, keeping edges inside crease. Press.
5. Scant edge stitch down each long side. Cut into four 3″ sections.
6. Press 1/2″ of each tab end toward backside.

Make the windsock tube. Finished size: approx. 16-16.25″ wide by approx 37.75-38″ long.
Some steps shown above and below.

1. Cut fabric panel 33″ wide (top/bottom) by 41.25″ long (sides).
2. With wrong side of fabric up, mark across top span with several hashes 1-3/4″ from top. Repeat on bottom.
3. On one side edge, mark once at 2-5/8″ from top and once from bottom.
4. Fold & press top and bottom edges toward back of panel at 1-3/4″ mark. Stitch with 3/8″ seam allowance from crease on both.
5. Fold panel in half lengthwise, right sides together. Stitch side seam between 2-5/8″ marks at top & bottom.
6. Press seam open. Scant edge stitch around opening at top & bottom.
7. Fold over entire top edge 7/8″, toward wrong side of fabric. Press. Repeat on bottom.
8. Sew a generous 3/4″ seam allowance on top hem. Repeat on bottom. These will make the channels that the embroidery hoops will be fed through.
9. ON BOTTOM EDGE ONLY: Sew scant edge topstitch to finish hem.

Attach tabs to fabric tube.Some steps shown above.

1. Working with wrong side out, finger crease or lightly press in half at the top. Open up, match up the creases you just made, and crease in half again. If you look at it from the top, the creases will be at 12, 3, 6 & 9 o’oclock.
2. TIP: Make sure side seam on tube is slightly off-center so none of your creases coincides with it.
3. Line up the center of each of your four tabs on each of the four crease you just made. Make top edge of tab flush with top edge of tube, as shown above. Pin in place.
4. Make a scant edge topstitch long the opening at the top, carefully catching each tab as you go. Backstitch over each for strength if you like.
5. Stitch the bottom edge only of each of your tabs to the body of the tube.

Insert hoops.Some steps shown above.

1. Remove nut & bolt from hinge of outer hoop, flatten hinge against hoop with a pair of pliers. You can also gently pull the hinge out, but be careful not to splinter the hoop (been there, done that).  
2. Cut the inner hoop with a pair of scissors (the wood is plenty soft).
3. Turn fabric tube rightside out. Feed through the channels at the top & bottom.

Insert light strand.Some steps shown above.

1. Make sure your lights are working and tangle-free. Threading them takes some patience, and you don’t want to find out you have a problem during or at the end of the process!! 
2. Check your “strand math.” If you’re using a 24′ strand as I have, each straight length from top to bottom will be about 36″. Here’s how I figured the coil length in inches:
   1. 24 ft of strand x 12 in/ft = 288 in of strand
   2. 288 in / 8 coils in the fabric tube = 36 in per coil
3. Count out how many lights there are per 36″ (mine has 13). This way, as your threading, you can keep track of how much you have to go. Remember, it’s all downhill once your halfway!
4. If you were to open up the tube, the drawing of the light strand coil above shows you the basic idea.

Attach rings & string.Some steps shown above.

1. Cut three 12″ strands per ring. Tie each bunch to a ring, leaving a similar length tail on each one.
2. Stack all rings flush and pull out all strands together. Tie the 5th ring to all strands at once. You should have a very even, level hang of the 4 rings when you hold it up.
3. Thread one ring through each of the tabs.

Whoosh! Now go hang your new windsock garden lantern, wait for the sun to set, grab your beverage of choice, cozy up with some good friends & enjoy! Happy Summer to you!