DIY Suncatcher with Floating Beads: Capture Rainbows in Your Window

You need sunbeams bouncing around your room? Let's make a suncatcher. This one uses a crystal prism and beads on a cord, with a neat "floating bead" trick that spaces them apart instead of stacking them all together.

I'm using opalite and rose quartz beads for mine, but use whatever catches your eye.

• Nylon cord or string
• Crystal prism (or any faceted glass piece)
• Decorative beads (your choice)
• Crimp beads (small metal beads that squish flat)
• Jump ring (for hanging)
• Pliers
• Snips or scissors

Optional: more beads, different colors, charms — make it yours.

Cut your cord to whatever length you want the finished suncatcher to be. Leave a few extra inches on both ends — you need that for the loops and crimps.

You can tie the prism on with a knot, but crimp beads look cleaner. Here's how:

1. Slide one crimp bead onto the cord.
2. Slide the prism on after it.
3. Take the end of the cord and thread it back through the crimp bead, creating a small loop around the prism's top.
4. Pull it tight enough that the prism has room to dangle freely.
5. Squish the crimp bead flat with pliers.
6. Snip off any excess cord sticking out past the crimp bead.

Now string some beads directly onto the cord. I started with a few opalite and rose quartz beads, alternating them. Push them all the way down to the prism.

This is the trick that makes beads look like they're floating in space instead of piled on top of each other.

1. Slide another crimp bead onto the cord.
2. Push it up about an inch or two above your last bead.
3. Squish it flat with pliers.
4. Now add your next set of beads on top of that crimp bead. They'll stop at the crimp instead of sliding all the way down.

Repeat this pattern — crimp bead, beads, crimp bead, beads — until your cord is filled the way you want it.

You need a loop at the top for hanging. I like using a jump ring for this because it makes it easy to swap hooks or hooks different places.

1. Slide a crimp bead onto the cord.
2. Add a jump ring.
3. Thread the cord end back through the crimp bead, making a loop around the jump ring.
4. Pull it tight, squish the crimp bead, and snip the excess.

Hang it in a sunny window and watch the rainbows scatter. That's it.