How to Make a BOHO Fiber Rainbow with Wire Raindrops

Spring? YES, PLEASE!!! As I write this the plows are making their umpteenth pass past our home in Minnesota. It’s March, and I swear we have another 2 months til it melts. I mean, hopefully NOT. But… In the meantime, here is a quick and easy DIY project on ow to make a BOHO fiber rainbow with wire raindrops that will brighten up any corner of the world.

Project: How to Make a Boho Fiber Rainbow with Wire Raindrops

Supplies

Directions

Step 1: Cut your lengths of rope

Cut lengths of rope. Because I used a Caron Big Cake that was self striping and had 5 colors, I cut five lengths of rope. To get the correct lengths I laid the rope into a rainbow shape before I cut it. When it looked proportional I cut the ends even. The longest ended up being about 19 1/2″ and the shortest about 14″.

Step 2: Cut wire and tape it to the rope

I had steel wire and so I cut a length of it about 19″ so that I could tape it to the largest cut of rope. To tape, just wrap it around the rope and wire at an inch or two inches apart. You can go ahead and wire all the lengths of rope, but I found you really didn’t have to as their are all stitched together at the end. It would make wrapping the yarn around the rope pieces a little bit easier though.

Step 3: Wrap the rope with yarn

I started with the red, and first tied it and knotted it around one end of the rope. Then I wrapped it around. At first moving the yarn around the rope worked best but then I realized if I held the yarn still and moved the rope it seemed to be an easier movement. This only really worked for the first piece that had the wire attached. Which is why if you have hands that get stiff that you might want to consider adding wire to all the lengths of rope. I would try the first piece and see what you think.

To get to the next color of yarn you can just cut into the skein and grab the color you want (oh the chaos though!), or you can wrap the rest of the red into a ball. Then cut the end when you get to the next color. If you do this you’ll end up with a ball of yarn for each color in the yarn “cake”. Oh, and you can avoid this by getting a smaller “cake”, they did have them. However, the diameter of the yarn is smaller and not as chunky so it would take longer to wrap and the piece would look different then what I have pictured. Something to try maybe! There were also different colorways, and if you search Etsy or instagram you can see some really fun pastel rainbows.

Step 4: Stitch the rope lengths together

Using embroidery floss and a large eye chenille sharp, knot one end and then hold together the red and orange wrapped lengths together. Stitch into the red and then over and through the orange. Try to stitch just through the top of the ropes, not through the middle so that the floss doesn’t show as much once you flip it over. Continue with all the pieces. Flip over the rainbow. Neaten it up. Trim the rope ends even (but still leaving a good inch or two of the rope showing), and excess yarn if there is any straggling tails.

Step 5: Glue on pom pom clouds

Using hot glue and a hot glue gun, attach the pom pom yarn into a cloud like tuft. I think I used 5 pom poms per side. I’ve learned not to cut the pom poms off the yarn lengths because the pom poms start to fray. Alternatively, you can make and use actual pom poms, or substitute wool or something else. Again, you can search out different options on Etsy or Pinterest.

Step 6: Create wire raindrops from wire

Using the 16 gauge wire and a pliers and cutter, cut the wire into five 5″-6″ lengths. Shape the wire into a “u” shape. Then, grip the end of the wire with the pliers and turning your wrist tightly create a small loop. Then, gripping the entire loop, twist it so that it is facing the back of the wire drop. Repeat with the remaining four pieces of wire. Using the Multi Surface paint and a foam brush, paint the wire.

Step 7: Wrap twine around the tops of the raindrops and attach the clouds

Knot off the end of the twine around the neck of the wire drops and then wrap around the neck. Knot off like a noose and then, leaving a good 16″ or so repeat with a second drop. Tie a knot about 2/3’s of way between the two drops and hot glue the knot to the back of the cloud. Repeat with another two drops, the third, just cut the twine and then knot the end so that you have something to glue to the back of the cloud and glue to the side on the left (once you flip the rainbow this will be on the right). Refer to picture or video if needed. You can choose to hot glue a small loop of twine to the back of you rainbow to hang it, but I found that it hangs fine without that.

Rainbows are promises

Enjoy your bit of spring after learning how to make a boho fiber rainbow with wire raindrops. Remember that art and crafts can be inspirational to both you and those around you (even if they don’t necessarily comment on it). This little rainbow hangs in my house near a window and is a definite contrast to the white billowing landscape outside right now. I look at it, and see a promise. Not that it will keep raining, but that the rain will come, the snow will melt, and there will be rainbows in the sky. But maybe for you, this craft is just an awesome little decoration for St. Patrick’s Day. Whatever your motivation, I hope you value and appreciate the result of your time spent crafting!

If you want more rainbows, check out my tutorial on creating rainbow wall art! AND for even more ideas that are full color check out my All Rainbows All the Time Pinterest board!