Hội An: Lantern Making
Selecting the right stakes
The shop had tons of hand-carved bamboo stakes. Each one has a short thick side and a long thick side. Our goal was to pick 12 stakes where the thin section lined up in the same spot. Doing this allows the lantern to be a nice symmetrical shape.
Shaping the stakes
A slightly terrifying but really fun experience of bending the bamboo stakes. Didn’t want to break them as we were bending but they were surprisingly resilient.
Attaching to the hanger
The lanterns have a cool feature where the top snaps into the hanger. Allowing you to quickly undo the top and straiten out the lantern for easy transport and storage. And then when you need it again it can be snapped back into place and retain its original shape.
Secure the stakes with thread
The thread is added to ensure that each stake is evenly spaced. Something I would have struggled greatly if not for the help of the instructor.
Picking a color (or two)
Picking the right colors was a real challenge. We went through a number of them. Debating between all of one color. or doing a half-and-half. After much deliberation, we both went with our favorite colors. Realizing that they both paired with orange we put a single accent panel of orange in each.
Attaching the silk
Attaching the silk to the bamboo seems simple enough:
- Apply some glue
- Add the silk
- Stretch the fabric to remove any wrinkles
- Trim the edges
- Repeat for each side
However, it was anything but simple. There is a real skill to stretching the fabric. The silk can be quite finicky. After we spent minutes carefully pulling at the fabric to try and get it just. But being left with wrinkles and overstretched areas. The instructor would come by and fix the whole thing in seconds.
The same thing applied to trimming the edges. I tried my darndest to get a nice clean edge. But each one was a mess. Thankfully, the instructor swung by again and was able to create a near-perfect edge in seconds. I don’t even think I can operate scissors that fast regardless of the outcome!
Finishing touches
We backed two strips of silk in our primary color with cardboard. Then wrapped it around the top and bottom of the lanterns.
Results
Overall, This class was super fun. We really enjoyed the folks that we made our lanterns with. The instructor was funny, patient and incredibly nice. Being project people the class was right up our alley. It scratched the crafting/DIY hobby itch. And along with a great experience, we also have two souvenirs! If you are ever in Hoi anI highly recommend taking a few hours of your day to try the lantern-making class
