Paper craft

Five-Petal Paper Flower

Challenge (level 5 of 5)
45 min
15 steps
Ages 9–14 (a guide, not a rule)

Uses scissors
Uses glue
Adult help suggested

Start Making Print with template

A small slit and a little glue turn each flat petal into a cupped, three-dimensional one. Five cupped petals on a back circle make the flower head; a fringed center, a stem rolled around a pencil and two folded leaves finish it. Print both templates at actual size and take your time with the curves.

Before you start

You need

Sheet 1: petals, back circle and center, printed on paper, 216 x 279 mm (8.5 x 11 in (Letter) or A4). Print on white or pink paper. Thin card stock holds the cup shape well.
Sheet 2: stem strip and two leaves, printed on paper, 216 x 279 mm (8.5 x 11 in (Letter) or A4). Plain printer paper rolls into a firm stem; card stock is too stiff to roll.
Blunt-tip scissors
Glue stick
Pencil (to curl the petals and roll the stem)
Ruler (to check the scale bar)

Decorating (optional): Color the petals and leaves before you cut, or print on colored paper. Darker lines near the middle of each petal look pretty.

No sheet 1: petals, back circle and center, printed on paper? A drinking straw or a thin stick can replace the rolled stem. Plain paper squares can replace the template petals if you draw your own petal shape.

For the grown-up: Help with cutting the curved petals and the small fringe cuts, and with holding the stem while the glue sets.

Use blunt-tip scissors and cut away from your fingers.

How to place the paper before the first step — **Your paper:** Print both sheets at 100% (Actual size). Check that each 5 cm bar measures 5 cm. Color the pieces now if you like.

Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.
Cut: a thick solid line with scissors.
Glue: a yellow area marked "glue".
Turn over: flip the whole model to its other side.

Step by step

Each step shows what to do (left) and how it should look after (right).

Do this

Result

Step 1 of 15 Cut On sheet 1, cut out the five petals, the back circle and the center circle along their solid outlines.
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Result

Step 2 of 15 Cut Cut the short slit at the bottom of each petal, along the solid line, up to its end.
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Step 3 of 15 Glue Rub glue on the shaded wedge beside each slit. Slide the other side over it until the edges meet the line, and press: the petal cups.
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Result

Step 4 of 15 Curl Roll the tip of each petal outward around a pencil, then slide the pencil out. The tips curl back a little.
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Result

Step 5 of 15 Glue Glue the five petals onto the back circle, one on each glue mark, with the narrow ends near the middle.
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Step 6 of 15 Cut Snip the fringe on the center circle: cut from the edge in to the inner circle all the way around.
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Step 7 of 15 Glue Glue the center onto the middle of the flower, then bend the fringe up toward you.
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Step 8 of 15 Cut On sheet 2, cut out the stem strip and the two leaves. Keep the small tab at the bottom of each leaf. (Now sheet 2 (shown larger): the stem strip and the two leaves.)
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Step 9 of 15 Roll Roll the stem strip tightly around a pencil, starting at the plain edge. Glue the last edge down, then slide the pencil out.
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Step 10 of 15 Cut Snip the top of the stem four times, down to the line, and bend the little tabs out flat.
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Step 11 of 15 Valley fold Fold each leaf in half along its center line, then open it a little so it stands out from the stem.
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Step 12 of 15 Glue Glue the tab of each leaf around the stem, one leaf a little higher than the other.
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Step 13 of 15 Turn over Turn the flower head face down next to the stem. (The flower head and the stem side by side.)
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Step 14 of 15 Glue Rub glue on the stem tabs and press them onto the middle of the back circle. Hold for a minute.
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Result

Step 15 of 15 Turn over Turn the flower face up. Gently bend the petals so the flower looks full.

A pink paper flower with five cupped petals, a fringed yellow center and a green rolled stem with two leaves.

You made it!

Yours may look a little different. That is part of making things by hand.

Print the steps

Template

Print the template at 100% (Actual size), not "Fit to page". Then measure the check bar with a ruler: it must be 5 cm (2 in) long.

Sheet 1: five petals, back circle and center · 176 × 184 mm. Each petal is 62 mm (about 2.4 in) long. Print at 100%.
Sheet 2: stem strip and two leaves · 150 × 162 mm. The stem strip is 60 x 150 mm (about 2.4 x 5.9 in). Print at 100%.

Print the template

If something goes wrong

The petal will not stay cupped.

Use a little more glue on the wedge and hold the overlap for a full minute before you let go.

The petals overlap unevenly around the circle.

Place one petal on each glue mark first without glue, check the spacing, then glue them one at a time.

The stem unrolls.

Roll it tighter around the pencil, glue the whole last edge and hold it until it sticks before sliding the pencil out.

The flower head flops forward on the stem.

Spread the four stem tabs flat and press them onto the back circle; add a small strip of tape across them if needed.

Helpful hints

Cut curves slowly by turning the paper, not the scissors.
Overlap every petal by the same amount so all five cups match.

An original PlayOwl project.