The Best DIY Fourth of July Decorations You Can Make

DIY Fourth of July decorations is a search that many are going to be making this year due to the ever-growing need to remain in our homes due to the Coronavirus. So many people are choosing to stay at home.

These DIY Fourth of July decorations crafts will give you something to do!

Patriotic String Lights

Things You’ll Need

Red, white and blue yarn

5″ balloons

Glue

Water

Petroleum jelly

Wire

String lights

Step One – Inflate balloons so they are about four inches in diameter, and tie a knot securely at the opening. Purchase 5-inch balloons at a party store, as this smaller size will result in a more rounded, spherical shape instead of an elliptical shape.

Step Two – Rub petroleum jelly on the surface of the inflated balloons. The jelly will help prevent the yarn from sticking to the balloons.

Step Three – Mix two parts glue to one part water in a shallow pan. Regular white household glue is all you need. Do not worry about measuring the glue and water exactly. Just estimate the amounts, as putting glue in a measuring cup can get very messy. Keep stirring the glue mixture until the consistency is smooth and even.

Step Four – Wrap the yarn around your fingers several times, being careful not to get it tangled. It is best to start with this small amount. The more yarn you use, the more likely it will tangle.

Step Five – Soak the yarn in the glue mixture, using your fingers to make sure that the glue is penetrating all the fibers. Keep the yarn in a loop so it does not tangle.

Step Six – Tie one end of the yarn loosely around the knot at the top of the balloon, and then start winding the yarn around the balloon. Have the yarn crisscross in different directions. When you reach the end of the yarn loop, tuck the end under another piece of yarn. Then rub the entire surface with more of the glue mixture to make sure the yarn is completely saturated. (Now this is what we call red, white and glue!)

Step Seven – You can also layer several colors of yarn on the same balloon to make red, white and blue globes. Just use less of each color so the amount of yarn used is the same as for the single color globes.

Step Eight – Tie a string between two chair backs to create a drying line for the yarn globes, and place plenty of old newspapers underneath to catch drips. Clip the ends of the balloons to the string with clothespins, and allow to dry a full 48 hours.

Step Nine – After 48 hours, the balloons will have deflated a bit. Pop the balloons, and remove them from the yarn globes.

Step Ten – Find an opening in the globes just large enough to insert the bulbs of your string lights, and secure the globes with a piece of wire so they don’t fall off. Alternate the colors of the yarn globes. When you’re done, get ready for the oohs and ahhs – and that’s even before the fireworks.

PATRIOTIC WINDSOCK

6″ Wood Embroidery Hoop
Swivel Clasp (a regular S-Hook would work as well)
Skinny ribbon in red, white, and blue (I can’t find a link, but it’s a whopping $.50 a spool at both JoAnn and Michaels)
Thicker ribbon in red sparkles, white sparkles, and blue polka dots
Jumbo Ric Rac
Tulle in red, white glitter, and blue
Hot glue gun and glue
Long red, white, and blue fabric scraps
Twine or other ribbons for hanging

Step One – For the skinny ribbon, cut it twice as long as your desired length and loop it around the hoop.

Step Two – For the other ribbon, ric rac, and fabric strips, hot glue it to the inside of the hoop, allowing it to come up and over the top of the hoop. This will help hide part of the hoop.

Step Three – Keep going around the hoop!

Step Four – For the tulle, glue it to the inside of the hoop, so it sort of all lives in the center of the windsock. I found this was a great way to create volume without the tulle hiding all the ribbon.

Step Five – To hang the windsock, cut two equal lengths of twine (or ribbon or whatever). Thread them through the clip (if you are using an “S” hook, you can skip the threading-it-through step since you can just add it after).

Step Six – Glue the twine to the inside of the hoop, spacing the ends equally around the hoop, one in each quadrant. I used a lot of glue, and then also glued a piece of red ribbon over the end to make sure it was secured. If it’s blowing around in the wind, you don’t want it to fall apart!

Burlap Flag Banner

Easily the simplest of all the DIY Fourth of July decorations.

American flags

Burlap fabric

Jute Twine

Sewing machine and thread

Each banner has 6 flags sewn with a simple zig-zag stitch onto burlap rectangles. I then attached each rectangle to jute twine by simply folding the burlap over the twine and stitching in place!

Easy Patriotic Wreath

- - a wreath form {or use your Spring Wreath form}
  - a spool of burlap ribbon {or just leave what was already on your Spring Wreath form}
  - scissors
  - straight pins
  - ribbon and/or tulle
  - sparkly star garland
  - a flag spray

Step One – Place your spray where you’d like it and then wrap the ribbon around the wreath form. You can then secure it with a straight pin.

Step Two – Wrap your sparkly star garland around your wreath form. Again, secure with a straight pin.

Step Three – Make a bow with ribbon and/or tulle and simply attach with, you guessed it, a straight pin.

Step Four – Go hang your wreath on your front door for all the world to see! Well, at least your neighbors and passersby.

Tin Can Luminaries

These are my favorite on this list of DIY Fourth of July decorations!

- - Empty vegetable or soup cans, cleaned out and labels removed
  - Water
  - Sand
  - Nail
  - Hammer
  - Scrap paper
  - Ruler
  - Tape
  - Spray paint in red, white, and blue

Step One – Begin by filling the cans with some sand. Then, fill the can up to the top with water. Place them in the freezer until the water is frozen solid. This will allow you to hammer a nail into the side of the can without the can denting.

Step Two – Choose your designs and cut out your templates, place on the can, and trace around them with a permanent marker (or draw freehand).

Step Three – Use a nail and hammer to punch out the design. Start at one end of the pattern and place the nail along the line. Gently pound the nail in with a hammer. The nail will go through the can into the ice. Continue working around the pattern until the design is punched out.

Step Four – Allow the ice in the can to melt, and dry the can completely.

Step Five – Spray the bottom portion of the cans blue with the blue spray paint. Protect your work surface with newspapers and use good ventilation (preferably outdoors like I did).

Step Six – When the cans are completely dry, cut a piece of scrap paper to wrap around the can. Make it 1/3 the height of the can. The cans I used were 4.5 inches high, so I made my first strip of paper 1.5 inches. Wrap the paper around the bottom part of the can, covering the blue painted area, and tape it closed.

Step Seven – Now take the cans outside again and this time give them a good spray of the white spray paint, and allow the cans to dry well. When they are dry you can remove the paper strip.

Step Eight – Make another paper strip 2/3 the height of the can. In my case, I made the strip of paper 3 inches wide. Secure around the blue and white portions of the can, leaving only the top portion exposed, and secure with tape. Take the cans outside again and this time spray the top section with the red spray paint and allow it to dry. Remove the paper strip and you will see the pretty red, white, and blue stripes.

Step Nine – When you are ready to illuminate, add a little sand to weigh down the cans and add a tea light candle.

What kinds of DIY Fourth of July decorations do you have? Will you be making any of these? Let us know in the comments!