These folded paper ball ornaments are bright, bold, and so much fun to make! With just paper, scissors, and a bit of folding, you can create beautiful 3D paper ornaments that look amazing on the Christmas tree.
These DIY ornaments are easy to put together and great for all ages. They’re the perfect no-mess activity for a holiday craft night or just some creative quiet time. So choose your favorite colour combo and let’s get folding!
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DIY Folded Paper Ball Ornament
Equipment:
- Small bowl (or other circle to trace)
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut and fold the ornament pieces
- Gather 4 colours of paper to make your ornament.We recommend printer paper or wrapping paper — either patterned or not. Cardstock is harder to fold neatly.
- Trace 21 circles and cut them out. You’ll want to do 5 of each colour, plus 1 extra.
- Fold this extra circle in half, from right to left.
- Then fold in half again, from bottom to top.
- Open up the circle so you can see 4 quadrants of the circle marked with lines. Fold the bottom of the circle up so it touches the middle (the intersection of the lines).
- Now fold the right part into the center. You’ll want the edge of the circle to touch the middle as it also lines up with the flat bottom fold.
- Repeat on the left side, creating a triangle shape.
- Open the folds and cut out the triangle. This will be the template for folding your other circles.
- Set the template down on top of another circle, lining up the corners with the edges of the circle.
- Fold the circle around the edges of the triangle. This will give you the shape needed to make your ornament.
- Repeat, folding the rest of the circles.
Step 3: Make the cap sections of the ornament
- Place a circle down with the top of the triangle facing up. Fold the right edge into the circle and add glue tape to the fold.
- Connect a circle of a different colour into the glue tape, lining up the edges as best you can.
- Connect another 2 circles, working along the right edge every time. Once 4 pieces are connected, add glue tape to both the outside folds.
- Place another circle in-between these pieces, connecting the edges on both sides and creating a dome-like shape to cap off the ornament.
- Repeat, making another cap from 5 circle pieces.
Step 4: Make the center band of the ornament
- To connect the caps of the ornament you’ll glue the remaining 10 pieces together in a line.Place the first circle with the top of the triangle pointed down. Add glue tape to the right fold.
- Add another circle to the glue tape, with the triangle pointing up.
- Glue the rest of the circles together in this “down, up” pattern.
Step 5: Put the ornament together and add a hanger
- Fold the top and bottom folds in on the band. Add glue tape to each flap.
- Attach one of the band pieces to the bottom of a fold on one of the domes.
- Repeat around, so the entire bottom is connected, and then glue tape the two ends of the band together.
- Cut an 8 inch piece of colourful baker’s twine and tie it into an ornament hanger.
- Flip the ornament over and set the hanger in-between 2 circles on the band.We didn’t do it here, but we highly recommend securing the knot of the hanger with a dot of hot glue or tacky glue.
- Attach the other dome into the glue tape on this side of the band.
- Your folded paper ball ornament is complete!
- Have fun making these ornaments in all different sizes! (Read more details about this below.)
Helpful Tips:
- Secure the hanger well: Use hot glue or tacky glue to firmly attach the ornament hanger. If it’s not glued in place, it can pop out later on.
- Make them in any size: You can create different sizes of paper ornaments simply by starting with larger or smaller circles. It’s a fun way to make a whole matching set in a variety of sizes!
- Cut multiple circles at once: To speed things up, stack a few sheets of paper together when cutting your circles.
How can I make circles for this folded paper ball ornament?
There are lots of easy ways to create your circle shapes! A circle paper punch is quick and precise, but you can also draw circles using a compass or trace around a small bowl or glass.
You can create a whole page of circles in a Word document and print it on coloured paper. Or, if you have a Cricut, you can also use a circle SVG in Design Space and have your machine cut the shapes for you.
What is glue tape?
Glue tape (also known as “crafter’s tape” or an “adhesive tape runner”) is a crafter’s dream! It’s most similar to a glue stick, but it has a lot better staying power.
Glue tape is a dry glue that comes in a rolling dispenser, and instead of squeezing it out, you roll it across the paper in a neat line. It’s a low-mess way to quickly adhere paper together, and it doesn’t warp the paper or have any drying time!
You can buy glue tape at the dollar store, but we recommend buying AdTech crafter’s tape, or another brand name, since the dispensers are lot more reliable.
What size should I make this folded paper ball ornament?
One of the best parts of this craft is that you can totally customize the size by tracing whatever circular objects you have lying around. To give you an idea of what size circle to use, here are the different versions we made:
- 1-1/4 inch circles for an ornament with a diameter of about 2 inches
- 1-3/4 inch circles for an ornament with a diameter of about 3-1/4 inches
- 2-1/4 inch circles for an ornament with a diameter of about 4 inches
You can experiment with different sizes to find the look you like best!
What paper is best for making these 3D Christmas ball ornaments?
We found printer paper easiest to work with since it folds really easily. But keep in mind that the finished ornament can be a little delicate. Wrapping paper gives you fun patterns, but it’s also quite flimsy and tears easily.
Cardstock makes a sturdier ornament, but it’s harder to fold, so we recommend scoring the paper first to get clean, crisp lines. You can even recycle old greeting cards and use pictures or festive elements from those. Just like with cardstock, scoring will help you get better folds on this thicker paper.
These folded paper ball ornaments are such a fun way to get creative for the holidays. They’re easy to make, eye-catching on the tree, and are a great way to add a handmade touch to your decorations.
Stick with classic holiday colours for a bold and cheerful look, or switch it up with metallics, neutrals, or pastels for a more modern or minimal Christmas style. However you make them, these 3D paper ornaments are a festive favourite that’s just as fun to craft as it is to hang!
Here’s even more Christmas craft 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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