Kite Lines - Vol.1 No. 3 - KiteLife

THEVIETNAMESEKITEfish, a moth, a bird, a bug ; inspirationand variety come naturally .Tail streamers add beauty and movementplus stability They can be placedaccording to the character of the kite(fish or fowl?), the basic rule beingbalance - the same for each side . Thearrangement shown is four strips ofcrepe paper, each measuring one inchwide and four feet long . Tails couldalso be of colored cellophane, scrapMylar, plastic wrap or paper, evennewspaper, for the completely recycledkite .MATERIALS for one Vietnamese KiteO t2" square of covering material (seearticle for choices)Matchstick bamboo reed (selectedfrom window blind)O Y2 "-wide cellophane tape for Mylaror cellophane kite ; or rubber cementor paste for paper version022" piece of lightweight string forbridleTail streamers (see story for choices)8 . Add tails, as described in story, keepingthem balanced on each side . (Keepsome extra tail on hand for when you goflying .)INSTRUCTIONS for paper versionAll the steps are essentially the same asfor the plastic kite except that you maysubstitute glued paper strips for tape .(See drawings .) This method will giveyou a more classic version of the Vietnamesekite. The side corner flaps can beglued down directly without addedstrips . (The easy way is to glue one sidefirst without trying to hold the arch inplace, then glue the other side .)FLY!The Vietnamese Kite does best in lightto medium winds . If your kite dives orspins on the end of the line, add moretail - and enjoy IBy Margaret GregerI first met the Vietnamese kite in a sixthgrade class when I w as showing thechildren how to make the Siamese snakekite . After things were under way,Leroy, recently arrived tool Vietnam,came up with a piece o` bamboo reedin his hand . "Can I show You the kitewe make in Vietnam?" he asked .I learned about a new kite that day, alittle jewel among kites, easy, inexpensive,fun to fly. Children can have a partymaking these kites around the table froman assortment of material=: .Leroy made his kite of news papersquaring it it with a diagonal fold, eyeballingrather than measuring Preciseproportions are not critical (thou ghsymmetry is) . Instead of newspap er,you' covering can be art tissue, cellophane,Mylar or clear roaster wra p(such as Reveal) which can be coloredwith marking pens . Or you can use predecoratedcovering of paper towels,large paper napkins or light, ,printed wrapping papers . One 1 .class made kites from ironsChinese newspapers which camepacking in an order of kites .The best technique for decorating aclear kite is to draw the design on whitepaper, lay the kite on top of it, fill in thecolored areas and then do the black outlines. The basic kite shape suggests aTOOLSScissors, pencil, ruler and nail or needlefor punchINSTRUCTIONS for plastic version1 . Fold and crease the kite cover asshown . (Measurements are approximate ;variations fly well .)2 . Measure matchstick reed to fit thecen ter crease from tip to folded baseline - this reed to the kite to form aspine, covering the reed completely .Bring bottom flap up over the reedand tape the edges down . Fold thecorners of the tape to the outside noseas reinforcement .3 . Me, reed for the arch. Be surethis is a g reed with a good symmetricalcurve .4 . Tape the arch reed in place at the tipsand the intersection with the spine. Coverthe reed with tape in 2"-3" segments .5 . Fold side flaps over the reed andtape there down.6 . Turn the kite over .7 . Poke holes for the bridle close to thereed . Tie the bridle string as shown,over the intersection of the reeds andover the spine 2" up from the base of thekite. Set the bridle by tying a loop . Tofind the correct angle, hold the kite byits string over your table . The spineof the kite should hang nose upwardat about a 15-degree angle from thehorizontalMARGARET GREGER is a teacher,kitemaker and kite author in Richland,WA. Her kite teaching experiencesresulted in a book, Blown Sky High,1977 Margaret Greger, from whichthe Vietnamese Kite design was excerptedby permission .