Materials:
Dragon Suncatcher DIY Kit – Crystal Flare: $17.99/ Crystal Flare
Tools:
Wire cutter
Flat-nose Pliers
Round-nose Pliers
Tutorial:
https://youtu.be/tOH9Uy-IVH0?si=NfOqoXFC7hmoBwbN
The Crafting Experience:
This dragon suncatcher project was both incredibly frustrating and immensely rewarding. I was relieved to discover that Crystal Flare offers beaded DIY kits at such a great price, especially after seeing the high costs of individual beads elsewhere. Without hesitation, I ordered the kit and eagerly awaited its arrival, which took just two to three weeks. The entire ordering and shipping process was seamless, and I would definitely purchase from Crystal Flare again in a heartbeat.
And so, my journey truly began. I found that the tutorial was just 43 minutes long, and as a novice, I eagerly believed this would be a quick project I could finish in a single afternoon. How wrong I was!
I settled in to watch the tutorial, only to discover that following the instructions was proving to be quite challenging. I found myself pausing the video repeatedly, rewinding it over and over, and in just one day, I had to redo the tail and body structure twice before finally getting it right. After struggling through only five minutes of the tutorial, I was exhausted but convinced that I was starting to grasp the concepts and that the rest would be much easier. Once again, I had underestimated my abilities.
The following day, I resumed the tutorial from where I had left off, focusing on crafting the dragon's head. To my surprise, this task proved to be even more challenging than creating the tail and body structure. I found myself pausing the video repeatedly, rewinding it after every few beads, and ultimately had to redo the head three times. The third attempt was particularly frustrating, as I realized I had constructed the head structure backward, necessitating a redo of the horns as well.
At that moment, I began to doubt my ability to meet the deadline for posting this blog. However, after indulging in a slice of Boston cream cake, I reassured myself that I would complete this project on time, no matter what.
On the third day of creating my dragon suncatcher, I tackled the wings. Fortunately, this part of the process was significantly easier, even though it still took quite a bit of time. I was pleased to find that I didn’t have to redo the wings at all, but it consumed my entire afternoon to complete them. I decided to leave the legs and the chain for the following day, eagerly anticipating the moment I would finish my project. I thought this would be the easiest day yet. But, as you might have guessed, I spoke too soon!
On the fourth and final day of working on my dragon suncatcher, I began with confidence and no apparent issues. However, I soon discovered that the kit lacked sufficient .06 mm black wire. After completing the front legs of my dragon, I made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby and was delighted to find black wire available.
Since the packaging didn’t specify the wire gauge, I purchased what appeared to be the thinnest option for just $1.99, thinking I had enough to finish my project. Unfortunately, the wire turned out to be too thick. I had to get creative and rummage through the scraps of black wire I had previously trimmed off. Fortunately, I found enough usable pieces to complete the back legs of the dragon.
In the future, I recommend following Crystal Flares’ tutorials closely, but consider cutting each piece about an inch shorter than her instructions suggest. This way, you can ensure each piece is long enough for your needs. The chain assembly was straightforward, and I was relieved to finish the dragon suncatcher just in time to write this blog post.
In conclusion, I must admit that I'm not very skilled at bead and wire projects, which is a bit disheartening given how beautiful the finished pieces can be. However, I've set a goal to purchase a few more DIY bead projects from Crystal Flare in the future, and I'm committed to enhancing my beadwork skills.
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