How to Make Butterfly Paper Lanterns
These butterfly paper lanterns are so beautiful and easy to make! Upcycle plastic bottles into gorgeous glowing lights to celebrate spring and the beauty of nature!
Yield: 1 butterfly paper lantern
Cost: $1
Materials
- FREE Printable Butterfly Template (print at 35% size)
- Plastic bottle
- Cardstock
- Black gel pen
- Macrame cord (2mm; or twine)
- Fairy lights
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!
Video
Notes
Looking for more cute butterfly crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:
DIY Fabric Butterflies
Butterfly Coloring Pages
Plastic Bottle Butterfly Craft