How to make a paper lantern cutout
Paper Lantern Cutout: try all 4 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor Lunar New Year lantern: fold a red square in half, cut a window and one outline through both layers, then open a flat lantern with two caps and a tassel.
- You need
- Thin paper, a pencil, a ruler and scissors.
- Start
- Begin with a 12 cm square of red paper, colored side up. Keep an edge at the top.
Your model is ready
Smooth the centre fold flat. Glue a loop of thread to the top cap to hang it, or stick the lantern on a gold card. Fringe the tassel with a few small snips if you like. The finished red lantern, with a cap at each end and a tassel below.
Step-by-step diagrams
- 1
Fold the square in half
Bring the left edge to the right edge. Match the corners and press the vertical fold. Keep the folded edge on the left.
- 2
Cut the window
Cut a tall half window out from the folded edge and back to it, in the middle of where the lantern body will be.
- 3
Cut the lantern outline
Begin on the folded edge at the top of the cap. Cut across the cap, round the body and across the bottom cap. Go in to a narrow cord, out along the top of the tassel, down its fringe and back to the folded edge. Keep the lantern beside the fold.
- 4
Open the lantern
Open the centre fold carefully. The two halves meet down the middle of the lantern.
- ✓
Finish
Smooth the centre fold flat. Glue a loop of thread to the top cap to hang it, or stick the lantern on a gold card. Fringe the tassel with a few small snips if you like. The finished red lantern, with a cap at each end and a tassel below.
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Chinese window flower (chuanghua) ↗
An Origami Tutor window flower: fold a red square twice, make four cuts through four layers, then open a round flower with eight scalloped petals.
Fu blessing diamond cutout ↗
An Origami Tutor red diamond for Lunar New Year: cut the blessing character 福 through its centre one stroke at a time, by folding on each stroke and snipping half of it from the fold, then fold the diamond into a quarter triangle, cut a bead near each point and a round bite from each edge, then open it.
Spring couplet strip with cut border ↗
An Origami Tutor spring couplet strip: fold a long red strip in half along its length, cut half of each character of 立春大吉 against the fold, add a coin window at each end and one wavy cut along the open edge, then open a banner with the four characters cut right through it: Great luck as spring begins.