How to make a Christmas tree paper chain
Christmas Tree Paper Chain: try all 7 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
Accordion-fold a green paper strip into four panels and cut one three-tier tree through all of them. The trees stay joined by the uncut band along the bottom, and the strip opens into a garland of four Christmas trees.
- You need
- Thin paper, a pencil, a ruler and scissors.
- Start
- Begin with one 24 × 8.4 cm strip of thin green paper. Mark four equal 6 cm panels along its length.
Your model is ready
Open every fold and smooth the strip flat. Add a dot of gold or red paint for baubles on each tree if you like, then hang the garland across a mantel or a window. The finished Christmas tree garland, four trees on a joined band.
Step-by-step diagrams
- 1
Fold panel 1 over the next
Measure another 60 mm panel. Fold the entire left packet over the paper to its right, lining up the edges. Keep all panels the same width.
- 2
Fold panel 2 behind the next
Measure another 60 mm panel. Fold the entire left packet under the paper to its right, lining up the edges. Keep all panels the same width.
- 3
Fold panel 3 over the next
Measure another 60 mm panel. Fold the entire left packet over the paper to its right, lining up the edges. Keep all panels the same width.
- 4
Cut the tree
Draw a three-tier tree on the top panel first, standing on the bottom 22 mm of the strip. Start on the left folded side 62 mm below the top edge and cut along the ground to the first corner. Cut up the slanting side of the lowest tier, step out to the corner of the middle tier, and go up its side. Step out to the top tier, cut up to the point, and come down the other side the same way to the right folded side at the same height. Cut through all four layers. The paper above and between the trees falls away.
- 5
Open pleat 3
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- 6
Open pleat 2
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- 7
Open pleat 1
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- ✓
Finish
Open every fold and smooth the strip flat. Add a dot of gold or red paint for baubles on each tree if you like, then hang the garland across a mantel or a window. The finished Christmas tree garland, four trees on a joined band.
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