Folded-Circle Paper Baubles

Make this idea your own

Use greeting-card offcuts or coloured paper for a bauble that packs plenty of shape into very little material. The finished ornament is roughly 8 cm across, light enough for a small indoor tree branch.

Materials

• 8 paper circles, each 8 cm diameter
• Cup or round lid to draw around
• Pencil and child-safe scissors
• Glue stick
• 25 cm cotton thread
• 2 paper clips

Step by step

1. Draw and cut eight equal circles. Choose paper of similar thickness so the edges line up; avoid very heavy cardboard for the first ornament.
2. Fold each circle exactly in half with the side you want visible facing inward. Press each fold firmly.
3. Glue the back half of the first folded circle to the back half of the next, aligning straight folds and curved edges. Continue until all eight form a folded stack.
4. Fold thread in half and knot its loose ends. Place the knot near the bottom of the stack's straight spine, leaving a hanging loop above the top. Secure the thread with a narrow strip of paper and glue.
5. Fan the stack open and glue the first and last free half-circles together around the thread. Clip joins until dry, then remove clips and spread the pages evenly.

Useful tips

• Alternate plain and patterned paper.
• Cut all circles using the same cup rather than estimating their sizes.

Safety and storage

Supervise scissors and keep thread loops away from young children and pets. Paper ornaments belong indoors, away from heat, flames and moisture; they are not toys.

Editorial DIY draft — make a sample before publication.