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The directions may sound difficult but will make sense as you work. Build your first, and you'll be rockin' and rollin' by your second sparkleball.
To make a basic sparkleball, you will need the following supplies: 1. A soldering iron (pictured) 2. 50 9in Solo-style plastic cups (with slanted sides) 3. A string of 100 lights, mini-light size. I also use a fan for ventilation, and you must must must work outdoors.

Now build a second layer of cups on top of the first ring. Use 9 cups in this layer, and again work from the cup bottoms. Work cup by cup, adding one and joining it to at least two other cups. Make the joints at the cup bases or from inside the cup, at the bottom. This layer may have gaps between cups but that's ok.

Now you're ready to thread lights into the sparkleball half. Start at the plug end (plug was cutoff from photo, but it's right by the tag which is visible.) and insert two lights into the first cup. You'll start inserting lights on the large ring you made first.
Insert 2 lights into each hole, working from top layer into bottom and back up.
Hellogood...
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Sorry...
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Nuhbe .
Oct 13, 2007 9:49pm
COOL!
opposites-girl
Oct 14, 2007 6:09pm
They are very cool!!!
grazziella g.
Oct 14, 2007 8:35pm
que kul..jaja!!
annie
Oct 20, 2007 10:31am
Thats such a brilliant idea!! They'd be perfect for festivals or garden parties, well done you!! :O
La Kore
Oct 21, 2007 3:28pm
Awesome!!!
Cat Morley
Oct 21, 2007 3:33pm
I want to make loads of them for every room of the house. Do the lights get quite hot?
Sparkleball Lady
Oct 21, 2007 10:01pm
I've never had a problem with the lights getting too hot. The kind I've used are all safe-tested for use indoors for the holidays, anyway. In the US we can order them yearround from Christmas websites, and I usually shop for the best prices.
Cat Morley
Oct 21, 2007 10:03pm
Awesome, I'm going to check out the stores now, though it's probably a good idea to pick lots up just after Christmas when they go on sale.
sue c.
Oct 25, 2007 11:33pm
I have seen these and wonder how they were made. Now I can make them for every holiday. break out all those lights I bought on clearance sales,lol
Sparkleball Lady
Oct 26, 2007 12:05am
Don't be afraid to buy odd lights (either in shape, color or number.) The odd ones are always left over after Christmas, and a sparkleball made of mismatched lights might be quite lovely. Monica's miniball was made with 50 blue and white bubble lights I bought on sale for almost nothing.
Jen M.
Nov 14, 2007 3:04pm
I made two last night...I would suggest using 2 50 light strings instead of 1 100 string. Easier to join the halves that way! Make sure to get the end to end connectable kind then just plug the 2 together inside the ball.
They were really easy to make and surprisingly fast! Thanks for the idea!!!
Zindziwe J.
Nov 22, 2007 4:53pm
Way cool!
Sparkleball Lady
Dec 3, 2007 3:54pm
If you plan to make a sparkleball, there are some useful tips here http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82354075.tip.html from editors of that site. They must be pro-crafters, and they had a few things to add to my instructions. Very helpful if you're serious about this project.
Methatsall™
Dec 15, 2007 3:19am
sounds sooooooo cool i gotta make theses sometime....
Not A.
Dec 18, 2007 3:04am
MAZIN BABY
Cotton Candees
Jan 4, 2008 2:02am
I love it!
September M.
Jan 9, 2008 10:21pm
Oh wow I love the look of the sparkleballs. I would love to make some for my next house party. Even though it seems to be meant for Christmas, I am sure that I can adjust them to look not so Christmas-y.
Mia
Jan 17, 2008 5:21am
Thats so neat!
Lorraine
Feb 11, 2008 3:20am
our instructions were great!
Thanks for all the hard work showing us a neat new craft.
Claire S.
Feb 22, 2008 9:04pm
I have been looking for instructions for this project for years! Thanks so much!!
Kt a.
Mar 17, 2008 8:54pm
AWESOME! My grandma used to make those!
Hellogoodbye!
2 days ago
brilliant!!!!