How to Make Suncatchers with Crystals

A suncatcher intends to attract and reflect sunlight through prisms, glass pieces, beads, crystals, or any reflective material that can be used creatively in a hanging art piece. Suncatchers can be quite simple or elaborate.

Suncatchers are all about the appreciation of light and color. They also bring the energetic vibration of the sunlight, colors, and crystals to your attention and into your space.

Suncatcher benefits include subtle light and color therapy. They are a great way to connect and work with the energy of crystals by taking the time to craft and appreciate a suncatcher, including sun-safe crystals.

You may not be aware that many crystals can fade or become brittle in sunlight, so read through what crystals are best for suncatchers or the table summary of sunlight-suitable crystals at the end of this article. 

Making homemade suncatchers offers an opportunity for almost endless creativity. There is no way to create a suncatcher, as they vary in size, color, and material. 

In this article, we will also suggest step-by-step DIY glass gem suncatchers that provide enough guidance for gathering materials, designing, and creating a lasting suncatcher with detailed instructions for beginners and instructions that allow for creative freedom.

A Brief History: Suncatcher Meaning and Origin

We can look to the history of this art form to learn more about Suncatcher’s meaning and origin.

Suncatchers have been created far back in history. The Southwestern Native Americans were one of the first people to craft glass suncatchers. They were also present during the Chinese Han Dynasty. Victorian-era suncatchers began to include prisms.

Spiritually, the sun is associated with the divine source, healing, balanced masculine energy, life force energy, transformation, strength, comfort, abundance, and positivity.

As a celestial ruling body, the Sun resonates with creativity, vitality, and identity themes. These energies will be reflected in your Suncatcher, too. The metaphysical and healing properties of the crystals you choose will also add meaning and benefits to your Suncatcher. 

What are the Best Crystals for Suncatchers

When choosing the stones to include in your crystal suncatcher, the first thing to consider is whether the crystal is sun strong. Many crystals quickly fade or degrade in strength from sunlight and heat exposure.

Larger, semi or fully-translucent and transparent crystals are more suited for suncatchers, allowing more light to pass through and reflect. Stones with a natural glassy or metallic luster or highly polished stones work best.

Opaque stones may also add beauty and healing benefits, especially in smaller crystal beads or stones with light reflective or metallic finishes, such as Hematite and aqua aura-treated stones.

Below is a list and the details of some of the most desirable and sun-strong crystals for crafting a suncatcher.

Clear Quartz Suncatcher Crystal

Clear Quartz is a master healer stone that will amplify your intentions for your Suncatcher and amplify the effect of any other healing crystals included and the Sun’s life-giving energy.

Sunstone Suncatcher Crystal

Sunstone is mood-boosting. It inspires leadership and the full embodiment of personal expression and power. These energies will radiate from your suncatcher.

Spinel Suncatcher Crystal

Spinel is a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual revitalization stone. It comes in various beautiful colors, often transparent or translucent, making it great to include in your Suncatcher.

Garnet Suncatcher Crystal

Garnet is a stone of vitality. It is also a stone of increased love, passion, and manifestation. This crystal can be included in your suncatcher design in various shapes and colors to bring these benefits into the space where your Suncatcher hangs.

Carnelian Suncatcher Crystal

Carnelian crystals increase creativity, fertility, and sexual energy. It is also energizing, increasing vitality and easing anxiety and depression. This stone is shaped into many forms, including beads or pendants, perfect for suncatchers.

Peridot Suncatcher Crystal

This beautiful Peridot green gem is suitable to include in your suncatcher designs. It offers an energy of prosperity, purposefulness, compassion, and connection to nature. 

Hematite Suncatcher Crystal

A powerful healing and protective stone that has a metallic or splendid luster that will create exciting sunlight reflections, Hematite is a good choice for a crystal suncatcher.

Black Obsidian Suncatcher Crystal

Black Obsidian is a strengthening, grounding, and protective crystal. Although it is a dark-colored crystal, it can sometimes be translucent, and its glassy luster will interact with sunlight shining on the stone when used in a suncatcher design.

Jade Suncatcher Crystal

Jade stones are available in an array of colors. It is a crystal that has powerful cleansing effects and is also known to encourage good fortune. Jade fairs well in direct sunlight, so it is a perfect option to include in your suncatchers. 

Swarovski Suncatcher Crystal

Swarovski is a glass crystal that is popular for use in suncatchers as it interacts with light beautifully. Although Swarovski is not a naturally occurring gem, it does offer the metaphysical properties of glass – clarity, strength, vulnerability, and revelation – as well as the properties linked to the Swarovski color.

Some of the commonly available crystals that SHOULD NOT go in sunlight and, therefore, not be used as suncatcher crystals are Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Calcite, Apatite, Fluorite, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Moonstone, Opal, and Selenite.

Step-by-Step Guide on Making a DIY Crystal Suncatcher

You can design your suncatcher according to the materials you have or choose to experience making the direct method of how to make crystal suncatchers detailed in this article.

Supplies, Tools, and Equipment Needed

This is a list of the supplies and tools that you will most likely need when making a suncatcher. This list informs and inspires you to think of the different materials you can include along with your selected crystals.

When using the creative freedom method, consult this supplies, tools, and equipment list to make up your list of supplies by choosing a few elements from each section and the relevant tools. 

Tools

Depending on the materials you choose to include in your suncatchers,  you will need some or all of the following tools:

• Ruler
• Scissors
• Small crimping and cutting pliers 
• Super glue

Bases and Hangings

A base is the strong central point where you attach your hanging device and form your suncatcher design.  

• String 
• Gut
• Various gauges of wire
• Chain
• Links or jump loops
• Metal crimps
• Large and medium metal loops 
• Foraged or carved wooden piece

Crystals

After consulting the list of what crystals are best for suncatchers and deciding which crystals suit your needs and budget, you can look for different forms of the stone including:

• Raw crystals that can be securely wrapped 
• Crystals pendants 
• Crystal beads 

Crystals beads, pendants, or those that are easily secure with minimalist wrapping are ideal for suncatchers. Wire wrapping or macrame may slightly obstruct the crystal surface from the sunlight, but these techniques can also be used.

Other

• Glass beads, prisms, and Swarovski crystals
• Natural materials, like shells, dried herbs, pods, and wooden pieces
• Faceted plastic beads
• Found, upcycled, and recycled objects (for example, old mirrors or CDs)

Creative Freedom Method

When designing your suncatcher, you can consider a few different approaches. You may schedule your suncatcher entirely and then create a relevant materials list. You can choose to gather crystals and materials that you have access to or that interest you.

Then make suncatchers with what you have, using a free-flowing intuitive approach, or create a design with what you have.

You can also start with what you have and determine what materials are still needed. You can consider these things while designing and crafting your unique DIY crystal suncatchers.

• Choose a vital base piece to work from, such as a large metal hoop or structure, a wooden or metal stick, or even a strong central piece of gut, string, wire, or chain.
• You may draw or lay out your materials in the general design before joining up the elements of your suncatcher.
• Make sure all elements are securely joined and safe to be in sunlight and water if you plan on your suncatcher being fully outdoors.
• Make sure you have a solid hanging device. Also, an adjustable hanging device, such as a strong string with a slip knot or a moveable chain and hoop.
• Consider your suncatcher balance and appearance when hanging.
• You can set some intentions for the energy you would like your suncatcher to resonate with.
• You can read through the Direct Step-by-Step Suncatcher Methods section below or research crystal suncatchers further if you need more guidance or inspiration.

Direct Step-by-Step Suncatcher Methods

Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Materials:

• Gut or strong, clear string
• Scissors
• Soft metal crimps
• Pliers
• Ruler 
• Large glass prism crystal or large clear crystal hanging bead/pendant  
• Small or medium chakra-colored gemstone beads 
• 24 small glass beads
• A small metal hoop

Note: always ensure your gut or string will fit through all the beads, crystals, pendants, and crimps.

Step-by-Step:

1. Cut a 1 5m piece of the strong gut that easily fits through your beads.
2. Attach your sizeable clear prism crystal to one end and secure it with a knot,  metal crimp, and neatly cut excess gut.
3. Move 10 cm along your gut and secure another soft metal crimp.
4. Thread on your first small glass bead, a red Root Chakra crystal bead, another small glass bead, and secure another crimp.
5. Move 10 cm above the crimp and repeat the pattern until all your beads have been added ( crimp, glass bead, chakra bead, glass bead crimp,10cm space …)
6. When you get to the 7th and last bead, decide the final length of your suncatcher, fold your gut at your desired length, and fold the excess gut.
7. Tie it to the main piece of the gut with your crystals using a slipknot.
8. You can cut off any excess using your discernment and hang or tie up your suncatcher in a sunlit area using this simple looped gut hanging device.

Elaborate Step-by-Step Design Method

Materials :

• 1 large metal hoop 2-5mm gauge
• 1 medium metal hoop
• 1 small metal hoop
• Small  Crystal beads
• Small or metal beads
• Chain
• 3x crystal point pendants
• 1x large glass prism bead or large crystal bead
• Jump rings 
• Pliers for cutting and securing
• Ruler

Note: Always make sure your jump rings and wire will fit through all bead and pendant holes.

Step by Step :

1. Take your large and medium size metal hoops and join them together securely using wire wrapping, starting at one point and wrapping these hoops together securely for at least a 5 cm long section.
2. You should end up with an empty crescent moon shape which will be the bottom of your suncatcher base and the midpoint of your suncatcher.
3. Suspend and secure your large glass prism bead or large crystal over your wire, wrapping the section at the top of the mental hoops using various jump rings or wire. The prism should hang centrally within the circle when you hold the base in a hanging position.
4. Attach your smallest metal hoop to the top of the piece of 800 cm chain. Attach the other end of the chain directly above where you have attached your large prism or crystal using a solid jump ring or wire. This is your hanging device.
5. Now, working at the bottom of the crescent moon shape created by the two hoops, attach 3 lengths of chain using jump rings or wire. Attach them securely to hang below the suncatcher in this order: 500cm, 800 cm, 500cm.
6. At the end of each of the 3 hanging chains, attach a piece of thin wire and attach crystal and metal beads in any creative formation. 
7. End off each beaded wire by attaching a hanging crystal point pendant.
8. Make any necessary creative additions or adjustments, and hang up your crystal suncatcher to enjoy.

You might want to check out the following articles if you want to study other DIY guides linked to crystals. They have the capability of amplifying the energy of your vibe and even acting as accents to your style:

• How To Make a Crystal Necklace
• How To Make Beaded Bracelet
• How To Wrap a Crystal with Wire

How to Use Crystal Suncatchers

Crystal suncatchers will not only add aesthetic value and interest to your space, but they will also offer positive healing and spiritual benefits in relation to your intentions, energy, choice of crystals, or symbols used within the artwork.

When deciding where to place your crystal suncatcher, research the feng shui direction for the crystals in your suncatcher and consider this when choosing a spot for it to hang.

Alternatively, pay attention to areas in your home with the most sunlight hours and experiment with placing your suncatcher in these different areas.

You can connect deeply with the energy of your crystal suncatcher by meditating and focusing on the suncatcher, gazing at the suncatcher’s crystals, form, and lighting effects.

Appreciation of crystal energies and the artwork will help you attune to its vibration and benefits.

Tips for Beginners

• Research suncatchers and have a look at the variety and possibilities.
• Find suncatcher video tutorials online if you need assistance with any technical aspects, such as wire wrapping or securing jump rings, slip knots, etc.

• There is no correct way of making a suncatcher, so get creative! 
• No need to rush. Enjoy the process of constructing your suncatcher.
• Be creative if things go differently than planned.

This is a summary of the crystals that are suitable for crafting a suncatcher and their corresponding key benefits: