Domestic Goddesque

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How to make an Olympic-Style Torch

Originally posted on my Facebook page, I wanted to share my super-dooper  torch with you, so you can get in some practice before the relay starts! This is How to make a fake Olympic-Style Torch.

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Did anyone else look at the London 2012 Olympic Torch and think that it looks like a giant cheese grater?

a cheese grater

Just me then!

My second thought- as it’s how my brain appears to work at the moment- was how-can-I-make-one?

how to make an Olympic Torch

Mere moments later I knew I would need to scour the shops for sequin mesh. A bi-product of sequin production, it is the perfect texture for making the cheese-grater element of the torch. And how thrilling to find that my local Rymans (disclaimer: I was not paid in any way for this post) stock it in their craft section. Hurrah for Theo Paphitis!!

Other things you need to DIY this masterpiece of an Olympic Torch are:

  • Kitchen roll tube
  • Toilet roll tube
  •  Lots of tin foil
  • Yellow and orange paper or card
  • Glue and sellotape

The first thing you will need to do is turn your kitchen roll tube into a triangle by shaping it roughly in your hands and then permanently creasing the length of it by squeezing.

shape tube into triangle

Once you have done that, you need to scrunch the toilet roll into a smaller round, then wedge it into the longer triangular-shaped tube and fasten the two together with sellotape. (This is because the torch starts off round, I presume for holding comfort, then becomes triangular. Incidentally the triangle represents the three times that London has hosted the Games.)

Olympic Torch from loo roll

Once you are happy, cover the entire thing in foil, covering over the open round end completely. You may need to wrap several smaller layers across the join of the two tubes to get a smooth shape. Stick all ends down as foil tears easily.

cover in foil

Next is the messy bit: the sequin mesh requires a reasonable amount of glue, but because of the holes it will actually act like a cheese grater. I used a glue stick and ended up with glue all over my fingers. Anyway, wrap your pre-glued sequin mesh around your torch a couple of times. You can do this length or width-ways. My sequin mesh was shorter than the length of my torch, but I decided not to cover the whole torch in the stuff to make it easier to play with. (The torch is perforated it’s entire length with 8000 holes, representing the 8000 people who will bear the torch on the relay to the Official Stadium in Stratford.)

stick sequin mesh to your Olympic torch

Once you are done, leave it to dry. You need to cut out two rough flame shapes from the yellow and orange paper or card. These need to be no wider at the base than the inside of the top of your torch. Cut a slit in the middle of the base of one of your flame which goes almost half-way up the paper. Cut a slit in the other flame that starts at the tip and goes down the flame to the halfway point.

cut paper for your Olympic Flame

Slide the two flames together, slit-to-slit, and you should have a 3-D flame. Secure this inside the top of the torch with sticky tape. (Obviously the real torches have Propane-Butane Gas burners in- which wouldn’t work so well in my paper-masterpiece. This flame definitely won’t blow out though!)

easy home made Olympic Torch

Now the actual torch is golden, and made from two skins of punched aluminium alloy. My model is based on the aluminum element of the process, but you could make one with gold paper and sequin mesh.

Torch facts found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13424048

Comments

  2. Gilly says

    Thank you so much DG! Using your design, I’ve just made a reasonable attempt at a torch for a local event today. Your instructions were great and easy to follow even for me as I’m terrible at anything to do with arts and crafts!! 🙂 I used the card tube from a roll of wrapping paper and cut it down a bit in size. I also added a few extra flames using yellow tissue and orange crepe paper. Fingers crossed it all stays together.

    Reply

    • Domestic Goddesque says

      Brilliant news Gilly, and well done! feel free to send a photo if you have one: kellyinnes at hotmail dot co dot uk

      Reply

  3. Majetta Morris says

    My husband and I did make a replica of the torch for our Kids Church Olympiad Activity Days and it is fantastic. It is almost realistic in size and shape! We used foam core board; cut the three sides; then taped together. Covered the entire thing with small bubble wrap; painted it with gold paint. We used red and yellow cellophane film to make the flame. I would be happy to send you a picture if you will tell me how.

    Reply

    • Domestic Goddesque says

      Majetta that sounds great: pictures can be emailed to kellyinnes [at] hotmail [dot] co [dot] uk

      Reply

  11. Dawn says

    Used a pringle tube and a kitchen roll and bubble wrap…quite pleaased with my result will try and post a pic!

    Reply

  12. June says

    Thankyou for this, Im about to make a torch to go on our ‘Olympic Values’ display at school, I had a rough idea, but was struggling with the triangular shape, how simple, can’t wait to get started now 🙂

    Reply

  13. Majetta Morris says

    Excellent! I may make a larger version of this to use as decoration. I think I will use gold spray paint to finish it off since it is supposed to be gold. I also like to use crumpled yellow, orange and red cellophane paper to make the flames. I am trying to think of a way to make it look like it is lit up — maybe a glowstick inside the tube or at the base of the fire? Any other ideas?

    Reply

  15. Kathryn says

    Thanks so much…..my students will love this! I am not sure how difficult it will be to find the sequin mesh. If I cannot find it we might try using bubble wrap and print the design with paint on the covering. We might also try to make it using gold/bronze coloured cardboard in place of the foil.

    Reply

  17. clive riley says

    what an exellent idea im having a mini oylimpics in my local park for my sons birthday party and this has made it even better because all the kids will now have an oylimpic torch of their very own fantastic

    Reply

  18. Fiona says

    Thank you so much for this amazing torch, the children in P1 have been to asked to do this and I was just googling as you do and up popped your website, you have made the process so simple to follow all I will need to add is the gold spray!! thanks again and I will be back.

    Reply

    • Domestic Goddesque says

      YOu are most welcome Fiona. Thanks so much for commenting. If you get any pictures of your torches, do email them so I can see what a great job the class did.

      Reply

  19. Iain McGregor says

    My daughter has to make an Olympic torch for school tomorrow.

    Guess what it looks like? 🙂

    Thanks for the idea.

    Iain, Amy and Charlotte

    Reply

  20. Vicki says

    What a great idea. The torch come through our town in July, so this will be a great way to get my toddler involved – and have her very own torch to wave.

    Reply

    • Domestic Goddesque says

      It is and does, Debbie. Mine is more inspired-by, rather than actual replica, as I point out at the end of the post.

      Reply

    • Domestic Goddesque says

      You are welcome Amanda, and thank you so much for the lovely compliment Joyce: I really liked it when it was done!

      Reply

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