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
Place the center of the gourd on a single vertical fold. Trace the right half, including the upper round opening, lower flower opening and side slit. Keep the narrow neck at its printed width.
3. Cut the inside first
Cut the upper opening and the flower opening from the fold, then the side slit. Leave the outer sheet as support. An adult starts any closed opening on a mat. Rotate gently around the flower lobes without cutting through the surrounding paper.
4. Cut the outside contour
Cut the two rounded lobes of the outside, turning slowly at the neck. Keep the top stem and the connection between the lobes intact. Unfold from the broad lower body and check that the flower remains an opening inside the gourd.
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 narrow neck and the bridges around the lower flower. 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 lucky gourd 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
Wellbeing & good wishes · Lucky Gourd
Read the cultural context and sources for the recognizable motif. Its use can vary by occasion and tradition.