Let's make your own butterflies!
These beautifully vibrant butterflies are a great way to welcome spring! Suspend them from the ceiling with fishing line, or make several and attach to a paper plate mobile.
© Amanda Formaro
© Amanda Formaro
What you will need
- ½ black pipe cleaner
- Paper coffee filter
- Water colour paints, or very watery poster paints
- Paint brush
- Water
How to make it
- Flatten the coffee filter and place it on a plate or newspaper, the paint and water will soak through. Set aside on paper towels to dry.
- Fold the pipe cleaner in half. Remember, you are only using half of a pipe cleaner to begin with.
- Fold the coffee filter accordion style, in about ½" pleats.
- Position the pleated coffee filter into the bent end of the pipe cleaner. Center the filter at the bend.
- Twist the pipe cleaner around the filter to secure it in place.
- Bend the tips of the pipe cleaners over about ¼" to create the antennae.
- Fan out the butterfly wings.
- If desired, hang with yarn or fishing line.
Some tips
- For a more vibrant butterfly, be sure to paint all white areas with paint.
- Tie a piece of fishing line around the "neck" and suspend from the ceiling. They will look like they are flying!
- Instead of using all the colours on one filter, make some with warm colours (red, yellow, orange) and some with cool colours (blue, green, purple).
Here are some craft butterflies in action
Click the pictures to enlarge.
Photographs of craft butterflies in action by Deborah Judge is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Ireland License.