• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
    • Punch Needle
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube

How-to: Make a Perfect Paper Pinwheel

December 18, 2012 2 Comments

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Pinwheels are a great way to add some vintagey flair to a Christmas present, birthday party or wedding decor, and they’re actually really easy to make. In today’s post, I want to share how I get mine folded just right every time.

Supplies

12″ scrapbooking paper/cardstock

paper scoring tool or a ruler and pencil

heavy duty packing tape

double sided tape

scissors

paper cutter (optional)

Directions

To achieve the perfect pinwheel, I always use my paper scoring tool (it was only $12 at JoAnn’s) and a paper cutter. If you’re really careful, you can use a pencil, ruler, and scissors in place of these tools. It will take longer, but it’s an alternative to buying specialized devices. All of the instructions in this tutorial will refer to the scoring tool, just bear that in mind. 

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Cut your paper exactly in half by scoring it at the 6 inch point and cutting it with a scissors or paper cutter.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

^^It was really hard to make the scoring lines visible in the pictures. Sorry about how saturated they are!^^

Then, cut one of those halves in half again at the 3 inch mark.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Then, score all all the way down the long (12 inch) side of each 3 inch wide piece of paper. Make a mark every half an inch.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Fold both pieces of paper accordion style, beginning as shown, with the colorful side folded back to start.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Cut four thin strips of packing tape and stick them someplace handy. Fold each accordioned piece of paper into a fan shape and secure with packing tape.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Then, use double sided tape (I prefer to use the double sided tape that comes on a roller) to stick the centers of each fan together. Flip the pinwheel over.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Place a thin piece of packing tape as shown below. Fold the tape over the gap between each fan piece and tape to secure the edges of each fan together. Repeat on the other seam of the pinwheel.

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

Ta da! Knowing how to make a good pinwheel comes in more handy than you’d think. Here are a few projects I’ve done using pinwheels:

How-to: Wedding Fascinator | HandsOccupied.com

ribbon pinwheel wedding fascinator

Peppermint Schnapps Swirl Cupcakes | HandsOccupied.com

peppermint pinwheel decorations for a party

The picture at the top of this post shows how I wrapped a Christmas present using the pinwheel from the tutorial photos, adding just a bit of baker’s twine to secure the pinwheel accent!

 

Filed Under: DIY Wedding, How-to, Parties Tagged With: decor, diy, How-to, paper crafts, parties, pinwheel, wedding

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

Previous Post: « Gifts for the Foxy Lady
Next Post: Cookie Smackdown Giveaway – Vote for me! »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Attention, DIY Brides & Handmade Hostesses!Attention, DIY Brides & Handmade Hostesses!
  • How-to: Bat Place CardsHow-to: Bat Place Cards
  • How-to: DIY Popcorn BarHow-to: DIY Popcorn Bar
  • How-to: Black & Gold Wedding Table NumbersHow-to: Black & Gold Wedding Table Numbers

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Comments

  1. jackie mabbott

    December 10, 2013 at 10:47 am

    absolutely lovely, and so well explained, thank you.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Bone Folder v. Scoring Board | WhimseyboxWhimseybox says:
    January 10, 2014 at 11:00 am

    […] Paper Pinwheels via Hands Occupied […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

UPDATES BY EMAIL

Monthly highlights sent to your inbox.

Find Me Elsewhere, If You’re There

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi GustadDiscover Unique Items

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Yarn craft designer & author. Into intarsia knits, latch hook, color & vintage-modern style.
❤️ Email for pattern support
👇🏻 Book, Patterns, Tutorials

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Sunday stitches with June. ☺️ . Yarn: @brookly Sunday stitches with June. ☺️
.
Yarn: @brooklyntweed Arbor
Pattern: in-progress by yours truly 
.
#handsoccupied #intarsia #colorworkknitting #intarsiaknitting
When it’s August & the crew has the day off, the When it’s August & the crew has the day off, the only thing to do is a Knitflix marathon! I hadn’t seen the latest season of Stranger Things and had a TON of knitting to do, so we decided why not make a day of it? For non knitters, this is a pretty accurate depiction of what a dream day looks like for maker types. (Plus or minus a cranky but cute house pet.) 
.
What does your dream knitting day look like? 
.
Just making this for fun & to see how it feels to distill a yarn day into a short video like this. Big thank you to Jamie & Mariah for being my friends, even though they said “it’s okay if you don’t tag me in this.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 
.
#knitflix #knitting #knittingwithfriends #intarsia #handsoccupied #knitsocks #chicagoknitters
Are you looking for some late summer reading picks Are you looking for some late summer reading picks? Here are 3 fresh titles for makers of all ages - full reviews are on my bl0g, along with a giveaway for a copy of Knitstrips! The 🔗 is where you’d think. 😉
.
To Make by Danielle Davis (@writesinla) / Knitstrips by Alice Ormsbee Beltran & Karen Kim Mar (@ik_knitstrips) / This Long Tread by Jen Hewett (@jenhewett) 
. 
#summerreading #bookshelf #readingrecommendations #handsoccupied #booksformakers #craftbooks
New on the blog today! This former Librarian revie New on the blog today! This former Librarian reviews three making-related books for kids, teens & adults. And there’s a copy of one up for giveaway too! 📚 
.
To Make by Danielle Davis (@writesinla) with pictures by Mags DeRoma (@magsderoma) / Knitstrips (@ik_knitstrips) by Alice Ormsbee Beltran & Karen Kim Mar / This Long Thread by Jen Hewett (@jenhewett) 
.
I’ll share preview page-through videos for these this week too, but for now the written reviews are at the top of handsoccupied dot com along with my search bar if you can’t find ‘em. All giveaway details are listed in the review post. 🤙🏻 
.
(^ I heard a rumor that if I tell you to exit this app, no one will see this post, so plz forgive the song & dance just in case it matters. 🙈)
.
#handsoccupied #summerreading #booksformakers #booksforcrafters #books #knittersofinstagram #craftbook #knittingbook
I think about the wrong side of my intarsia knitti I think about the wrong side of my intarsia knitting kind of like some embroiderers do: I get (probably too) excited when the back’s neat and tidy. Are you this way? Is it just me? 
.
Pictured is the wrong side of a large primary color intarsia swatch I knit for an upcoming design in @brooklyntweed Arbor. When I pulled it from my studio, I thanked my former self for talking the time to knit, weave in ends, & block a clean swatch already. As critical as they are, I’m excited to not have to make one today. I’ll advocate for swatching all day long, but I won’t pretend it’s like the funnest step in the process! 😆🧶
.
#stopswatchandblockit #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #handsoccupied #knitincolor #knitdesign #handknits
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy