Triforce Kite

Are you the ultimate Zelda fan? Then you need to build a Triforce Kite! Let your Zelda powers soar with this tetrahedron kite design inspired by the work of Alexander Graham Bell.

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, spent much of his time in the late 1890s working on aerodynamics and held out hope that the tetrahedron design (four-sided triangle) had great potential in lifting heavier loads into the sky. Read more about the history https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/alexand...

His design is also a perfect look for the Triforce.

The items you need are few and flexible for this design. We started with wooden spars (small wood dowels) but changed our minds toward using drinking straws just for ease of use for the kids. Head to Starbucks before they're gone! Use a thin string, like kite string or fishing line and some plastic or thin cloth material that has the right Triforce color. You'll need clear, strong tape too, like packing tape and more kite string to fly.

24 straws

24 lengths of string (double the length of straw)

Cut lengths of string each about double the length of your straws. Feed them into the straws so that an equal length hangs out of both ends. Once you have three done, tie a double knot using all three strings on one end. Then feed three more straws with string. You'll need six straws with string for each tetrahedron.

Now with your base three straws done and tied together on one end, pick two stringed straws and join them with the middle straw of your tied trio on the opposite end. Tie a double knot. Move around your shape, tying three straws together at each end to make the four-sided triangle. Check that your knots are all tight and that you don't have any excess string.

Like those previous steps? We hope so because you need to do it again, and again. You'll need at least four triangles to make the Triforce shape, but just like Bell, you could keep going and make lots and lots more for some interesting designs.

Once you have your shapes ready to go, you need to cover them. Each tetrahedron will be covered on two triangular sides. Use the shape as a template; outline one triangle with a marker, then flip the shape over to draw another triangle opposite it. Have two opposing triangles? Good. Now you need to sketch in some flaps. These can be hand drawn like the picture above. Once you have your pattern, cut it out. Make four coverings in total.

Pick any triangle side to attach the covering to. Use strong clear tape, like packing tape to attach the covers to the tetrahedrons. Fold the flaps over the straws on two sides of the triangle and run clear tape over the flap. You will need four pieces of tape for each covering.

Once you have covered all tetrahedrons, put three together on a table with the covers all facing the same way. Begin tying the interior ends to each other snugly and firmly. Try to leave little space from the end of one shape to the beginning of the next. Once you have a strong base, put the fourth tetrahedron on top. Attach it the same way on three sides. It should now be looking awesome!

Attach your kite string to the top. Test your superpowers by launching your Triforce into the air. Cue the theme music!