09 December 2008

Paper Ornament Tutorial

We’re making easy paper ornaments! These look great hanging from the tree, on top of a gift package, or as room decorations (especially large ones).

Here’s the list of Materials:
Patterned paper— 8.5x11 sheet
Scrap chipboard/cardboard
Bone folder
Circle template and scissors or 2” circle punch
Triangle template
Adhesive—gluestick works fine, I like Zip dry liquid glue
Optional: Ribbon, beads, charms, glitter, glimmer mist





Step One
Punch 20 circles from patterned paper. If you don’t have a circle punch, you can print the file onto an 8.5x11 piece of patterned paper and cut out the circles by hand.









Step Two
Using chipboard, make an equilateral triangle that fits perfectly inside your circle.
If your circle is 1” each side of the triangle will be .75”
If your circle is 1.5” each side of the triangle will be 1.25”
If your circle is 2” each side of the triangle will be 1.75”
If your circle is 3” each side of the triangle will be 2.75”





Step Three

Place the chipboard triangle in the center of each circle, and use your bone folder to score along all three sides. Fold these three sides up. Do this for all 20 circles.









Step Four

The next thing is to make is the top and bottom of the ornament. Glue the flaps of 5 circles together so they all touch at the top of the triangle and make a kind of hat. Do this twice.










Step Five

Make the middle by laying out the next 10, alternating triangles upside-down and right side-up and glue the sides to make a straight line. Then, glue the first flap to the last to make a circle, or tube.

Step Six

Glue the top “hat” to the top of the tube and the bottom “hat” to the bottom of the tube. Before you are finished gluing, you will want to run your ribbon through, making a hanging loop at the top.







Step Seven

When it is dry, add ribbon loops or bows to the bottom, or hang beads or charms from the ribbon. Add sparkle with glitter or glimmer mist, then hang up and enjoy!

4 comments:

Kristina said...

so fun!! What a great tutorial....:)

Melissa said...

looks great! i did this as a craft project with my 3rd graders and they did pretty well...i was a little worried but most of them were able to get the shape correct!

Paz said...

I have been looking to make these sort of ornaments. Love yours though, the paper is great:)

Michelle McGee said...

I love your tutorial!!! Is there any way you would/could send me the instructions through email?

Michelle
eggsb@comcast.net

Thanks!