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How to Make Butterflies Out of Plastic Bottles
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How to Make a Plastic Bottle Butterfly

These butterflies made out of plastic bottles are so fun to make! Choose your favourite butterfly pattern and decorate it with coloured paint markers.
Active Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Yield: 1 plastic bottle butterfly
Author: Debbie Chapman
Cost: $1

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

Step 1: Find what you need

  • Gather your supplies and materials.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly Supplies

Step 2: Cut a rectangle from the plastic bottle

  • Clean out a 2 liter bottle and remove the label. Cut off the top of the bottle.
    An adult can push sharp scissors into the bottle and then cut around it.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Cut down the bottle (we suggest cutting at the spot where the remaining glue from the label is), and then cut off the bottom of the bottle as well.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Cut the remaining part of the bottle in half crosswise. You can make a small butterfly with each half.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly

Step 3: Place the plastic over a butterfly outline

  • Print one of our free butterfly outlines or coloring pages.
    Find a link to many butterfly shapes in the materials list above. Scroll down below this tutorial for more info on the butterflies we used.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Cut around your butterfly of choice in a rough rectangle shape.
    Place the template on a piece of cardboard that's roughly the same size as your plastic bottle piece when flattened.
    Our cardboard is about 6-1/2 by 5-1/4 inches.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Flatten the plastic bottle piece and use binder clips (or paper clips) to attach it to the cardboard on top of the butterfly shape.
    Make sure you place the plastic so that the outside of the bottle is facing up. You want to be drawing on the outside of the bottle in the next step.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Use a black paint marker to trace the outline of the butterfly. Go around the inner lines of the template as well, creating a pattern on your butterfly.
    Allow it to sit until it's dry to the touch, about 5 to 10 minutes.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Remove the plastic from the cardboard. Flip over the template so only white is showing (or remove it completely).
    Flip the plastic over so the painted side is on the bottom and re-clip it to the cardboard. You want to be drawing on the inside of the bottle in the next step.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Use a coloured paint marker to colour in some of the patterned areas on the butterfly's wings.
    Since the black outline is on the other side (the front) it's okay if your marker goes a little bit over the black areas.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Create a multi-coloured butterfly or use different shades of the same colour with white or a metallic as the accent, like we did.
    Make sure you create the same colour pattern on both wings. Allow it to dry for 10 to 15 minutes.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Remove the plastic from the cardboard and cut out around the butterfly shape.
    It's okay to leave a border of about 1/4 inch or so, since it's transparent and can't really be seen.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly
  • Your plastic bottle butterfly is complete!
    Now use the other half of the bottle to make another butterfly in different colours.
    Plastic Bottle Butterfly

Video

Notes

Looking for more recycled bottle crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:
Balloon Car
Galaxy in a Bottle
Pop Bottle Firefly