1 inch Freehand Hata kite, cocktail napkin.
Well the locksmith work has been keeping me pretty busy, so today I decided to sit down and make some kites.
I cut this sail a while back, but I wasn’t confident I could make it work, so I waited until I could work on them at home.
The little Hata here barely gets a positive flight angle, but it’s stable enough.
Posted in Hata, Miniature Kites
3 inch Sotich Shield, cocktail napkin.
I’ve been in a rut.
I really like really small kites. I like to get as close to one inch as I can, but I haven’t been practicing, so I’ve been settling for two inches.
This lead me to ignore my three inch kites in regard to this very busy, but well coordinated pattern.
Of course, as soon as I realized this, I determined that it must be rectified post haste!
I’m really happy with this one, and if it fits nicely in the easel cards I’m making, it’ll be headed to the Windriders December kite making event.
Posted in Miniature Kites, Shield
2 inch Sotich Shield, cocktail napkin.
It occurred to me that I was missing a stripe by ignoring the element directly above the little stripes.
I kinda like the way the dots almost make the leading edge look lopsided.
Posted in Miniature Kites, Shield
2 inch Sotich Shield, cocktail napkin.
I spotted the fun play of the thin stripes today, and decided to see how a Shield would turn out there.
I think this might be the one to go down to the Windchasers for their December meeting.
Posted in Miniature Kites, Shield
What a summer. Between working the two jobs, trying to keep up with family obligations, and helping where I could with the Scout troop, I just haven’t made time for making very many kites. But it was a very full Summer.
I’m very excited to announce that my oldest son graduated High School and we held his Court of Honor for his Eagle, the same week.
My middle son has taken an interest in golf, fortunately one of the benefits of one my jobs made that cheaper, if not any quicker.
Also a local locksmith took me under his wing and started to introduce me to his trade. After working with him for a couple of months (in between the other two jobs), he turned me loose to start taking calls myself, and I’m now on call 24/7 to serve Lincoln County.
All this means that I’ve missed almost every kite festival this year, but things are looking up for next year.
2 inch Sotich Shield, cocktail napkin.
I’m starting to send out some of my miniature kites to clubs, festivals and other kite events, the first went to the Rogue Valley Windchasers for their November meeting.
I have some kites with snowflakes on them that I’ve made over the last year, but I was hoping that I could find something a little more Christmasy for their December meeting when I found a cute cocktail napkin. I’m not too enamored with this first attempt.
2 inch Sotich Eddy, cocktail napkin.
I was much happier with this second try. The print just works better working with the angle, and the little bit of lime lets me better use the color for the tail.
2 inch Sotich Shield, cocktail napkin.
While I was satisfied with the Eddy, I wanted to try it as a shield as well. I’m not certain how I like the little dots on the bottom of the sail, and I may try again with a freehand Shield.
Posted in Miniature Kites
2 inch Sotich Eddy, tissue.
I was so pleased with the results of the last kite that over the last few days I’ve made several more using the same tissue, but I haven’t had time to post them until now.
2 inch Sotich Eddy, tissue.
2 inch Sotich Star, tissue.
3 inch Sotich Shield, tissue.
I’m so glad to be back to work, but it is taking up a lot of my time 😉
Posted in Miniature Kites
2 inch Sotich Eddy, tissue.
Ok, so I found a few reasons not to keep making a kite every day. I’ve found a second job, and am now working 16 hours a day (when I can get it).
Here’s to getting caught up from the months between work.
None the less, here is a new Eddy. I was initially excited by the print on this tissue, but once I got it home I was overwhelmed by picking a spot on the material.
I’m ecstatic by the way this turned out, I’ll have to try some more with this material, and remember the results when I see other patterns larger than my kites.
Posted in Eddy, Miniature Kites
2 inch Sotich Shield kite, cocktail napkin.
Yesterday was the last day of National Kite Month, but I don’t see any good reason to stop trying to make a kite a day.
I knocked this one out pretty quick, so I can get off to the day job, but I’m pleased with the result of ignoring the symmetry lines of the red and white stripes. Oh, and it flies well too.
Posted in Miniature Kites, Shield
2 inch Sotich Eddy kite, cocktail napkin.
With the stark color blocking effect of the large stripes, I wanted to try softening the shape of this kite with a shredded trailing edge.
This print has presented its challenges, and helped me expand my thinking on miniature sail design.
Posted in Eddy, Miniature Kites
3.25 inch 3-stick kite, cocktail napkin.
It’s time for another 3-stick kite.
It’s not completely evident, but this one only connects the two sides in two places. I wanted to see if I could build the kite from two completely separate sail panels, and it worked.
The sails are tied together at the nose, the spreader is the only other connection.
I’m anxious to see what this line of thinking will lead me to.
Posted in 3-stick, Miniature Kites