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Animals / PAPER CUTTING TEMPLATE

Rabbit and Leaves

A rounded rabbit beneath a spray of broad leaves. Bold retained shapes alternate with curved openings in the body and foliage.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Estimated time
45–90 minutes
Paper size
A4 / US Letter
Method
Keep this design flat

You'll need Thin paper, Printer, Scissors, Craft knife and cutting mat for enclosed details

Download printable PDF Download SVG vector

For vector editing or cutter software. Machine settings and compatibility have not been tested.

Template use: Site download policy: personal printing, classroom photocopying, and sharing the PDF/SVG files are allowed for non-commercial use. Commercial use is not allowed.

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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.

KEEPBlack shapes
REMOVEWhite openings and the white outside area

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

Keep this design flat

Work on one open sheet to keep the supplied outline and internal details in their original positions. This guide does not require a fold, including for designs with a balanced outline.

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.

Red: next cutBlue: fold, never cutGray: transfer guide · tan: paper · white: removed

1. Start with a full A4 sheet

Rabbit and Leaves — 210 x 297 mm · nothing has been cut
210 x 297 mm · nothing has been cut · View larger

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. Transfer the complete drawing

Rabbit and Leaves — One flat A4 sheet · no folding
One flat A4 sheet · no folding · View larger

Tape or trace the complete full-size drawing onto the center of the blank sheet, keeping its original direction. The gray outline only shows placement. Keep the surrounding rectangle intact; repeated details do not mean this pattern should be folded.

3. Cut the inside first

Rabbit and Leaves — Red dashes: enclosed openings · outside remains intact
Red dashes: enclosed openings · outside remains intact · View larger

Cut the small body and leaf openings, then the larger spaces around the rabbit. Work on a cutting mat, with an adult handling the craft knife. Make a small entry inside each area to be removed, then follow its red dashed boundary. Lift out the small piece. Keep the ear, leaf stems and connections to the base and all surrounding paper in place for support.

4. Release the outside contour

Rabbit and Leaves — White holes are already cut · now follow the outer red line
White holes are already cut · now follow the outer red line · View larger

Start from an outside edge of the A4 sheet and approach the outline through waste paper. Follow the red outer boundary and remove the surrounding scrap. Support narrow sections with your free hand and preserve the ear, leaf stems and connections to the base.

5. Lift and refine

Rabbit and Leaves — Finished result · no new cut lines
Finished result · no new cut lines · View larger

Gently release the cut design from the surrounding offcuts. Lay it flat and trim only attached scraps or uneven edges. Preserve the ear, leaf stems and connections to the base. A finished opening does not need to be cut again.

Use an open sheet to preserve this exact design. You can make a separate mirrored variation, but it will change the supplied pattern.

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 materials

About this template

A rounded rabbit beneath a spray of broad leaves. Bold retained shapes alternate with curved openings in the body and foliage. The PDF is a cutting study; the SVG contains editable vector outlines.

Meaning of the motif

Reunion & gentleness · Rabbit Wishes

Read the cultural context and sources for the recognizable motif. Its use can vary by occasion and tradition.

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