These butterfly paper lanterns are SO PRETTY and really fun to make! With just a few simple supplies, you can create a stunning handmade decoration that glows beautifully. Whether you hang them outside for a summer party or use them to brighten up a bedroom, these delicate lanterns are sure to make any space feel magical!
This is such a fun and creative craft for kids and adults alike. It’s the perfect project for spring and summer, birthday parties, or even just a rainy afternoon indoors. So grab your scissors and glue gun and we’ll show you exactly how to make your own enchanting butterfly lantern!
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How to Make Butterfly Paper Lanterns
Materials:
- FREE Printable Butterfly Template (print at 35% size)
- Plastic bottle
- Cardstock
- Black gel pen
- Macrame cord (2mm; or twine)
- Fairy lights
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut butterfly pattern on cardstock
- Cut a piece of cardstock to fit around a 500ml water bottle (or whatever size bottle you’d like to use).Half a piece of cardstock worked for us, but be sure to double check yours.
- Print one of our small butterfly templates at 35% scale. (Find a link in the materials list above.)
- Cut one of the butterflies from the template, leaving off the body and antennae, and trace it lightly onto the cardstock.Repeat to fill the page with butterflies at different angles. How you trace them is how they’ll appear on the lantern.
- Place the cardstock on a cutting board or self-healing mat and use a craft knife to cut around the butterfly wings.DO NOT cut all the way to the center of the butterfly – you want the butterfly to stay attached to the cardstock.
- Repeat with all the butterflies. Then erase any remaining pencil marks.
Step 3: Add details to the butterflies
- Use a black gel pen or fine line marker to draw antennae on the butterflies.
- Push the wings up and gently fold them so they stick up from the cardstock.
- Use a butterfly paper punch on a lighter shade of cardstock to punch out as many butterflies as there are on your other paper.These butterflies should be smaller than the ones on the first piece of cardstock.
- Fold the punched butterflies in half.
- Add a dot of hot glue (or tacky glue) to the center back of a butterfly.
- Attach a cut-out butterfly to one of the cardstock ones, lining up the centers. Repeat with the rest of the butterflies.
Step 4: Prepare the plastic bottle
- Remove the label from a clean water bottle, then use a craft knife or scissors to cut off the top (measure the cardstock height against the bottle and cut at this point).
- Use a one hole punch to make 2 holes opposite each other, near the top of the bottle.
- Cut a 20 inch piece of macrame cord or twine and tie a triple knot at one end (large enough so it will stay in place in the bottle).
- String the cord through one hole in the bottle, so that the knot is on the inside. Bring the cord around through the other hole, and tie another triple knot. This creates a hanger for your lantern.
Step 5: Attach the butterflies
- Add a vertical line of hot glue to the outside of the bottle.
- Place the butterfly cardstock into the glue, making sure it’s as straight as possible.
- Wrap the cardstock around the bottle and connect the other side with hot glue. Hold the paper until it stays in place on its own.
- Place fairy lights or a battery operated tea light inside the lantern.
- Your butterfly paper lantern is complete!
- Then turn off the lights and enjoy its beautiful glow!
Helpful Tips:
- Use a fresh craft knife blade to cut your butterfly shapes. A sharp blade will make it much easier to cut clean lines around the butterfly wings.
- Choose lighter cardstock for layering. Using a pastel or lighter colour for the punched butterflies will give your lantern a more delicate, 3D look.
What type of lights work best inside this butterfly lantern craft?
For this paper lantern craft, battery-operated fairy lights or LED tea lights work wonderfully. They fit nicely in the bottle and stay cool to the touch.
Using either type of light with a remote allows you to turn your lantern on and off without having to reach in to flip a switch.
Avoid using real candles or anything with an open flame.
Where can I find a template for my DIY paper lantern?
We have lots of different butterfly templates available for you to choose from, but you can also make a lantern with a different focus! Flowers, stars, or even hearts would be beautiful alternatives if you want to switch up the design for this paper lantern craft.
And there are tons of other free templates to choose from in our printables category! Just make sure to print the small templates at an even smaller size. We printed our butterflies at 35% scale.
How do I make this butterfly paper craft more durable for outdoor use?
To make your DIY butterfly lantern more weather-resistant, try using weatherproof cardstock or laminating your paper before cutting. You can also try applying a waterproof sealant over the cardstock before cutting the butterflies.
Waterproof fairy lights are also readily available. While these options won’t make the lantern craft totally waterproof, it will allow you to keep your lantern outside on a covered porch or patio.
These butterfly paper lanterns are such a beautiful and creative craft! With their glowing light and delicate wings, they’re perfect for ambient lighting, party accents, or simply bringing a little magic to your everyday space. We love how simple and stylish they are—plus, who doesn’t love a craft that uses up old water bottles?!
Here’s even more lighting ideas:
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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