After being frustrated with the flammable traditional Paper Pagoda Lanterns which I used to carry and walk around the neighborhood with my kids during Mid-Autumn Festival, I came out with the idea of this Glass Jar Pagoda Lantern. I dislike the paper type for 2 reasons, they get burn easily (this is dangerous especially to kids), and changing the tiny birthday candle in it isn’t fun at all as they burn and melt so fast. Before I can really enjoy this special occasion, the lanterns either get burned or the candles are consumed. So, I designed this improvised version of my Pagoda Lantern, which won’t burn down (if handled with care), don’t have to change the candle so frequently (using tea light candle), can be hung or placed on table, and most importantly, it can be used repeatedly 🙂 . You can use electronic tea light candle to replace the wax candle to vow better safety.
During Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) also know as Moon Festival or Lantern Festival, we will gather together and sit outside under the moon, eating mooncake(月餅) while hanging many brightly lit lanterns around the house. We also carry our lanterns and walk around the neighborhood. During this day (15th day of Lunar 8th month), the moon is bright and round. There were a story dating back over 3,000 years about moon worship in China’s Shang Dynasty where this festival originated.
To make this Pagoda Lantern, you will need to do some calculations on the size of fabric to wrap on the jar for this tutorial as the one you are using could be different from that I am using, so I can’t give you the exact dimension.
Estimated time to complete 1 Pagoda Lantern is about 2 hours, but you will get faster after you’ve gained the experience from the first one 🙂
Could you use battery operated tea lights? You could use several depending on what amount of light you need and without the safety issue.
im doing this for my project can somoebody tell me where to buy the heatbond-lite iron thing o and im in dallas :]
Heat ‘n bond is a type of fusible web.
Thanks! This received me additional than anything I’ve located so far.
This is the best blog, i’ve ever seen, bookmarked
Very innovative idea. Perhaps you can add some recycle material in your next tut.
This is so pretty!! I love the shadows that the light makes when shining through the printed fabric.
I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-glass-jar-pagoda-lantern/2009/10/06/
–Anne
What a lovely creation, will try to make one soon. Will be a very nice table lamp. Thank you.
I always make the traditional one. The one with wire, glass paper and silk flowers. We called it the flower basket. It make a beautiful lamp too.
That’s gorgeous! What a wonderful piece, I’ll be linking. Thanks so much for the how-to!
it looks very beautiful.i hope to try it sometime although il b using it as a (touch me not)decoration instead or maybe il just use a plastic jar(without d candles though). i’m wondering how jealous others will be when they see your own more durable lantern 🙂
Absolutely wonderful! I would need to clear off my dining room table of all my other craft goodies, to do this one! 🙂
Looks like a great project! Something I want to try once I find the right jar to use.
beautiful! Im not sure Im up for a project like this just yet, maybe after the baby is born …
I luv your beautiful and creative lantern. Unfortunately I am too “old” to play with it. 😉
love it thank for the patterns
That is really cool, I am going to make one as soon as I can find the right jar.
I love your Pagoda Lantern! It sounds like a great festival and now I want some mooncake! Thanks for sharing 🙂