DIY Hanging Solar Lights
These DIY solar lights are made from embroidery hoops and make a beautiful statement for your deck or patio.
I really wanted some ambience lighting for my back patio and it got my wheels turning to use solar lights. I came up with these DIY hanging solar lights made from embroidery hoops! Sounds crazy, right? But they turned out gorgeous!
More DIY Embroidery Hoop Ideas
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Paint
I used three sizes of hoops--7", 6" and 5". The first step to making hanging solar lights is to disassemble the embroidery hoops by loosening the screws and pushing the inner hoops out. You will need one full hoop and only the inside from the other. Stain or paint the hoops the color of your choice.
Assemble
Once dry, place the two inner hoops into one another as shown. The bottom will cross like an ‘x’.
Chain
Add the chain next. I bought my chain from Home Depot which is sold by the foot for under a dollar. They will cut any length for you. Take the outer hoop and unscrew the screw until it comes undone. Slide the chain onto the screw. Catch the other side of the embroidery hoop and screw back together but NOT tightly–you won’t tighten fully until the smaller hoops are added.
Next, fit the outer hoop over the inner hoops and fully tighten the screw. If hanging outside, spray on a coat of sealer.
Light
Cut a 12″-14″ piece of wire (I don't know the gauge but it was on the thinner side) and wrap the middle of it once around the plastic on the light. Then wrap the ends around the underneath of the screws and screw it back tight.
Turn the light over, take the ends and make them meet in the middle and twist a couple times to look like this. Slip the light through the embroidery hoops and attach the wire to the embroidery hoop screw, making sure the light is straight. Cut off any excess wire.
Hang them where you want some accent light. Just remember, high winds or rain can damage them if they are not secured.
Resources for this project:
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Comments
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Looks great!
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I typically don’t like anything made from embroidery hoops, they always look like embroidery hoops and to me look cheap. But your solar lights I like. The metal screw on the hoop actually looks like it Needs to be there and is a vital part of the piece. I will be making at least a couple of sets (of 3) of these for my back porch❣️ Thank you for sharing, I do love this one.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
How about a flat path light and glue to the bottom? I love this idea!
How much exposure to sunlight does the solar light need? My area for these is quite shady. Great idea!!
How do solar light work on a porch? There's no sun.