Illuminate your backyard with patio lanterns

Transform transparencies into beautiful patio light covers

By Julie Stoyka

Canadian singer Kim Mitchell rocked the praises of patio lanterns back in the mid-1980s, and the appeal of those summer lights still hasn’t waned. With a bit of imagination, you can fill your backyard with a little “night-light” magic. Microsoft Home Magazine’s patio lantern templates will help brighten any social event — even that romantic dinner for two.

• transparency sheets (available at office supply stores)
• printer
• sharp-edged utility knife
• tape
• string of outdoor twinkle/holiday lights

Select patterns and colours

Dazzling hot pink, vivid violet and avocado green are perfect for patio light covers. If those hues aren’t for you, there’s no problem. Just be sure to choose darker shades because colours tend to pale when printed onto transparencies. If yellow beckons, choose a bold, orangey hue as we did for our daisy-chain template shown on the left.

Step 1: Print a patio light template
We created two easy templates for patio lantern covers: our cute daisy chain and the more romantic night sky.

• Download either template and open in Word.
• Print the template onto transparency paper. Quick tip: Print each template twice (on the same transparency) to ensure the best colour saturation.

Step 2: Cut out the lantern covers

• Trim around the edges of each lantern cover with a utility knife.
• Cut through the X in the middle of the centre squares. This point is where you’ll insert the twinkle lights.
• Score the light covers along all remaining white lines (on the smooth side of the transparencies) to make folding easier.
  Quick tip: The best way to score lines is to use your utility knife at half-pressure, so that you do not pierce the acetate.

Step 3: Assemble the covers and attach to the lights

• After you’ve cut out each light cover, tape the sides together using clear tape. This technique will help keep your covers perfectly formed.
• Push each cover onto a twinkle light and hang the string. For longer strings, you may want to buy extra pieces of coloured acetate from your local craft store.
• Cut the coloured acetate into shape like our templates, and alternate between the template covers and the acetate covers. You’ll have a vibrant mix to dress up any indoor or outdoor space.

All styling and inset photography by Julie Stoyka of Zariel Creative