How to Cut a Felt or Paper Butterfly

Use simple paper or felt butterflies to decorate cards, kids' rooms or classrooms.

Paper cutting, or scherenschnitte, has been an adult and a kids crafts project for centuries. The techniques for cutting paper into decorative patterns will work for felt or fabric as well. For a felt or paper butterfly, cut it first from a sheet of paper, then make the same cuts onto felt.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Felt square
• Sharp scissors
• Craft knife
• Straight pins

1. Pick out a butterfly design or template, such as art deco, southwestern, geometric or realistic.

2. Fold the paper in half and draw the butterfly design on one side of the folded paper, starting the middle of the design at the fold and drawing outward.

3. Cut the antennae since those are fragile and more difficult to cut. Make about a 45 degree angle from the center of the paper, and cut toward the outer edge to the length that you want the antennae to be. Then cut back in toward the center of the butterfly body.

4. Cut the basic wing outline with the scissors or craft knife. Open the paper to see if the proportions are satisfactory to you.

5. Fold the paper closed again to design the butterfly body. Make a new fold about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the center fold to mark the body of the butterfly. Unfold. Cut an outline design for the body, staying within the area between the two folds.

6. Keep the paper folded in half. Then fold the top wing section in half vertically and cut out a few shapes or lines using the craft knife. Do the same with the bottom wing section.

7. Fold the wing sections at a horizontal point to make extra cuts in the wing design.

8. Open all the folds to check proportions. Make adjustments.

9. Fold an 8-by-10 piece of felt in half lengthwise, and pin the paper pattern to the felt. Do not draw the design onto the felt unless you want it to show. Cut out the felt butterfly with the pattern in place. Use firm pressure to cut through both layers of the felt. You may also pin the paper pattern unfolded onto an unfolded piece of felt.

Tips & Warnings

• We often write about crafts and frugal living. See more articles in Resources below.

• copyright 2009 Linda Richard

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References

• Hewlett Packard; The Art of Scherenschnitte; January 2004