Know what stays. Know what goes.
The printable shows the full, upright design. Check the folding notes below before choosing how to prepare the sheet.
Preserve narrow connections between shapes. Loose shapes need a backing sheet or separate placement; the drawing has not been physically tested for connectivity.
From one A4 sheet to your paper cut
Fold, cut & unfold
Both halves of this finished design match. Use one center fold for the printable version, then open it for delicate finishing.
Start with a complete, uncut sheet. Each picture shows the paper before that step; red dashes mark only the next cuts. Keep the surrounding paper until the outside-cutting step.
1. Start with a full A4 sheet
Take one blank A4 sheet (210 x 297 mm), preferably thin colored paper. Print PDF page 1 separately at 100% and check its 50 mm line. Center the pattern on your blank sheet; do not cut off the surrounding paper yet.
2. Fold and transfer half
Align the butterfly body with one vertical fold and trace the right wing pair. Mark the large wing openings and small round spots. Keep the narrow antenna and the strips around the openings at their printed widths.
3. Cut the inside first
Cut the large wing openings, then the small round spots, with the outer sheet still intact. An adult starts closed holes on a mat. Use short cuts around the spots and leave the paper separating each spot from the larger opening.
4. Cut the outside contour
Cut the wing outline and antenna last, turning the paper through the dip between the wings. Do not cut through the central body. Open by holding the broad wings, and lay the antennae flat without tugging them.
5. Unfold and refine
Open the folded paper slowly. Matching openings now appear on both sides. Lay it flat and trim only attached scraps or uneven edges. Preserve the central body, antennae and the strips between wing openings. A finished opening does not need to be cut again.
Use thin paper: two layers should remain easy to control.
PDF page 1 is the clean full-size pattern; pages 2–3 show this complete sequence. A4 is the default; the Letter download uses a Letter sheet. Try a scrap first to check fragile bridges.
Print, prepare, and make
Match the PDF to your paper size and check the 50 mm scale line. Keep the pattern-specific folding sequence above beside you as you work.
Printing a paper cutting template · From download to finished paper cut · Printing and cutting troubleshooting
Paper and tools
Try the paper and tools on a scrap first. Difficulty and time are planning estimates; complete a trial before preparing a group activity.
Paper cutting tools and materialsAbout this template
A full, upright butterfly wishes design adapted from the interactive studio. Follow its folding notes to prepare the paper and finish the details. The PDF is a cutting study; the SVG contains editable vector outlines.
Meaning of the motif
Joy & companionship · Butterfly Wishes
Read the cultural context and sources for the recognizable motif. Its use can vary by occasion and tradition.
