Want to celebrate the last bits of autumn sunshine? Craft some fall feather suncatchers with wire and beads!

Like the tail feathers on a turkey, our autumn suncatchers have fancy patterns and designs. The light glistens through the glass beads so you can enjoy the colors of the season!

These suncatchers start with a simple twisted wire frame. You can shape it into a rustic feather shape and no two suncatchers will end up exactly the same. Then, add beads for color and to fill in the angled lines. Use lots of colors or just a few! The important thing is to choose beads that let the sun shine through.

Grab some beads and let’s get started!

• 24 Gauge Jewelry Wire
• Glass “E” Beads
• Thread
• Scissors

Step 1
Cut a piece of wire that’s about 21 inches long. Fold the wire in half and twist it to make a loop.Next, loosely twist the wire together for about 4 inches.

Fold the ends of the wire back up to the top so they form a feather shape. Wrap the ends around the twisted section under the loop. Trim any extra wire.

Step 2
Cut a piece of wire that’s about 30 inches long. Wrap one end of the wire around the edge of the bottom of the feather shape.

On the other end of the wire, slide on as many beads as will fit between the edge and the center of the feather. Glass beads can vary in thickness so you may need just a couple beads or a bunch!

Step 3
Wrap the wire one time around the center wire of the feather.

Add more beads to fill the gap between the center and the edge of the feather. You might find that one side of your wire feather is larger or smaller than the other. That’s okay because it makes it look natural!

Wrap the wire around the outside edge. Depending on how close you want the rows of beads, you can wrap the wire two or three times.

Step 4
Repeat the previous steps to add rows of beads in different colors, working your way to the top of the feather.

Step 5
At the top of the feather, wrap the wire around the edge enough times to secure the end, then trim any excess wire.

Step 6
Use thread to make a hanger through the wire loop. You can make it as long or as short as you want for your window.

A single feather suncatcher will look pretty hanging in the center of a window or even hanging from a rearview window in the car. But if you make more you can create a whole display!

Use different colors and patterns for your feathers or keep them so they all match. There’s no right or wrong way to craft these pretty decorations. And although transparent beads show the sunlight better, you can mix in some opaque beads too.

You could even make sure the wire ends are tucked safely under and wear your feather as a necklace!

Happy crafting!