Mexican Paper Cutting

Teaching kids how to make crafts is the best and one of the most constructive ways to keep them busy. Initially, you will have to devote sometime for teaching them. However, after your part is done, you can be sure that they will remain busy and out of mischief for a long time to come. In other words, you will be relieved of the task of looking out for them constantly, to make sure that they are away from trouble. A very popular form of craft is Papel Picado, the traditional Mexican art of paper cutting. It is very easy to undertake and the best part is that after your kid has made it, you can easily use it to decorate your home for a party as well as otherwise. In order to know more, check out the basic guidelines on the Mexican paper cutting techniques, given below.

Traditional Mexican Papercutting Technique

Items Needed

Colored Tissue Paper
Craft Glue
Craft Knife/ Scissors
Dowel Rod
Iron
Ironing Board
Paper Clips
Scrap Paper

Method

First of all, you need to take a scrap paper and make a pattern out of it. You can choose any pattern that takes your liking.
One of the simplest patterns will require you to take a square piece and fold it diagonally 2-3 times, in such a way that it forms a triangle.
Now, with the help of a pair of scissors or craft knife, cut shapes in the folded paper, unfold and find it ready to be used.
Take three sheets of tissue paper and place them on top of each other. Place the pattern, made with scrap paper, on top of the tissue papers.
With the help of a paper clip, join together the pattern and the tissue papers.
Take the scissors or the craft knife and following the pattern, cut out the same shapes on the tissue papers as the scrap paper.
Add a border to three sides of the Mexican paper decoration that you have just made, by cutting the sides in a pattern.
In the next step, remove the paper clip and separate the three tissue papers from each other.
With the help of a warm iron, flatten the tissue papers. For the purpose, put each cut tissue paper between two plain tissue papers and then use the iron.
Take the dowel rod and fold the plain edge (without the border) of the cut tissue paper around it.
Now, run a bead of craft glue down this edge and with the help of the glue, attach the paper to the dowel rod.
Follow the above step with the other two cut tissue papers as well. Your Mexican paper cutting craft is ready.

Tip

In case the kids are too small, do not let them handle the iron or the scissors. It is better to let an adult perform such tasks.

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