This article was taken from the January issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
https://www.magazineboutique.co.uk/store/custompage.asp?customid=349When it comes to hand-made kites, "keep your eyes open for something that will do the job," says Pauline Taylor, a kite maker with Sunderland's Infinite Arts collective. "The one here is bit Heath Robinson and that's appealing."
Prepare your frond
Dry and press a large leaf in a heavy book.
Then cut a 2cm line along the spine of the leaf at the bottom. Take a two-metre length of thread and feed one end into the cut, fastening with tape on the back. Overlap the two sides of the cut for a slight "dome" effect, before taping this up on both sides of the leaf.
Make the tail
Now attach a one-metre length of tissue paper or cassette tape to the point of the leaf to act as a tail. This isn't just decorative: "A tail creates drag and stability," says Taylor. "You need it to tell the kite which way is up and which is down. The weight determines your kite's orientation."
Get ready for take-off
Every kite is unique, so just launch and play. Once you've mastered yours, take a tip from French kite-maker Claude Comallonga. She boils leaves with washing soda, rinsing and pressing them into sheets. Cellulose from the foliage acts as a glue, enabling her to assemble huge kite sails from hundreds of leaves.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
