DIY Sparkleball For Interior Decorations!

How to Make a D-a-n-c-i-n-g Sparkleball

This is my very favorite. It's a bit more work to thread 140 or 150 lights but the results are spectacular. No photo really captures the magic of it, but videos like Cheri's, Gwen's, or Randy and Brandon's come close. To make a No-Melt Dancing Sparkleball, read these instructions first.

Dancing Sparkle Ball instructions are the same as Basic Sparkleball except for lights you use and number of lights you must insert.

To Begin: Melt a hole (approx 1/2 in) in the bottom of all 50 cups. (Test the size to make surethree lights can fit through later.) Divide cups into two groups of 25. Each group makes half a ball. (If you use the printable instructions make sure you add notes for the dancing sparkleball.)

Arrange 12 cups in a circle. If 12 cups does not make a circle, your cups aren't the right size. (Confused? Here's the right 9 oz. cup.) Clothespins hold the cups in place while you work.

Press hot iron through one cup to the next, at cup bottoms. Hold melted part to cool and form a strong bond. This is Layer One.

Place 9 cups around and on top of Layer One. There will be some gaps. (Blue cups show placement.) Solder each cup to at least two other cups, at their bases. Let joints cool before moving to next cup. This is Layer Two.

Fit the last 4 cups into the space left at the top of the dome. Join them. Work close to cup bottoms and attach each cup to at least three other cups. (Blue cups show placement.) This is Layer Three.

Remove clothespins. Now reinforce the ball-half all over, by melting joints between cup rims whereverthey touch. (I notch them.) Where cup rims don't meet, do not force them to-- hard cups may crack or pull apart. Soft cups are more flexible.

NOTE: On a dancing sparkleball put 3 lights in first cup. You'll have to do the math to figure how many lights go in half a sparkleball. (1/2 total number lights go in each half.) Some cups may have 2 lights while others have 3 depending on the lights you use.

IMPORTANT! TEST LIGHTS BEFORE YOU INSERT THEM. To insert lights: Start at prong end of the cord. Insert the three lights closest to prong into a cup in Layer One. (The prong will then hang out when you put the two halves together.) Put two or three lights in each cup. (1/2 total number of lights will go in each half. Do the math!) Work your way around the ball-half, zigzaging from outer cups to inner cups and back. You want to end up on Layer One, at the cup next to one you started with. Work slowly, careful not to skip a cup or miss a light. If you crack a cup, that's ok.

Set aside the completed half. Build the second half just like you did the first. (Steps 2 - 6)

On the second half, insert lights starting from the opposite end of the cord (the plug end.) Start with any cup but make sure you finish on Layer One. (If you plan to hang several balls together, make sure the plug end hangs out between the cups, as well.) Have clothespins ready to clips halves together once lights are in place.

Photograph does not show clothespins, but they make this step much easier.

Press the two halves together, making them fit nicely. When you join them-- be careful not to burn the lights or wire. Go over the sparkleball, making sure each cup is joined to at least two other cups. This is one of the most important steps. Take your time.

I make a hanger for my sparkleballs with a bit of chain and two "s" hooks. Choose the top of your sparkleball. Melt a hole between two well-connected cups. Insert one "s" hook into the hole and close. Add chain and second "s" hook.You can also use clear fishing line, ribbon, wire coat hangers to hang sparkleballs.

18 years old and still dancing!

Plug in and make the sparkleball danceby changing the patterns on the function controller. (this is my oldest sparkleball. I bought it on a dark Texas highway over 18 years ago. Read the storyabout how I got addicted to sparkleballery.)

To Use a Plier Stapler: 1. use soft cups 2. make holes in cup bottoms for lights with soldering iron or power drill 3. Use heavy staples and staple at top and bottom of cup See No-Melt instructions as well.