How to make paper fan decorations for the coronation
Planning a street party for the coronation and not sure how to decorate it? Well, look no further.
Create professional looking decorations with just some folded coloured paper and twine. These paper fan decorations are the perfect craft project to make ahead of the coronation celebrations. Make big ones, small ones, layered ones or mini ones!
They're a great paper craft which requires no previous crafting knowledge. These fans are quick and easy to make, and look so effective on your street party tablescape. We love the idea of tying them over the backs of chairs or stringing them together to make pretty coronation bunting. Add some Union Jack crafts to your table, too, and it'll be fit for a king!
Inexpensive and quick to make, they're great for brightening up your party space. Group together behind the buffet table, string up in the window or door or hang around the edges of a gazebo.
Use red, white and blue, or whatever papers you have at home. It’s a great one for using up odd pieces of wrapping paper, too.
For more coronation street party decoration ideas, check out our step-by-step videos to make no-sew bunting and cute paper crowns. For keen yarn crafters, we've got a brilliant free pattern to make your own crochet bunting, too.
Plus, don't miss our free pattern to knit your own King Charles and our favourite coronation craft kits to celebrate in style.
What you need to make paper fan decorations
Paper – we used three sheets of A4
Chalk pen or white paint
Bone folder or blunt knife
Scissors
Double-sided tape
TIP: For the paper fan demonstrated in the video we used three sheets of A4. If you would like to make smaller fans, cut a piece of A4 in half lengthways to make two long strips and concertina as in the instructions below.
How to make paper fan decorations step-by-step with pictures
1. Take three sheets of A4 paper – we used two blue and one red. Start by folding along the short edge by around 3cm, press along the crease. If the paper (or card) isn’t folding smoothly, you can use a bone folder or a blunt knife and press along the crease.
2. Turn the paper over and fold it over again by 3cm, again pressing down the crease. Concertina along so the whole sheet of paper is folded up. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect and completely straight, your paper fan decorations will still impress!
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other two pieces of paper, so you have three concertinas.
4. Take one of the concertinas and, keeping it folded up, cut a semicircle into either end. Cutting through all the layers of paper can be a bit tough, especially if you are using card, so use a good pair of sharp scissors. This will create the scalloped edge when it’s fanned out.
5. Open out the concertina and lay it flat on your work surface. Shake up a chalk pen, press it a few times on a scrap of paper first, then draw a white dot on each scallop towards the edge. If you don’t have a chalk pen you can use a little white paint or a different colour entirely.
6. Cut a long strip of double sided tape and press it along one edge of the paper. Peel off the backing then, lining up the second concertina, secure the two together.
7. Do the same again with the third concertina, lining them up neatly, so you have one long piece.
8. With the entire concertina folded up, fold the whole it in half so you can roughly find the middle. Cut a long length of twine or thin ribbon (if you are using this to hang it up make sure it’s really long), wrap the twine around the middle, then tie a double knot at the back.
9. Cut a strip of double sided tape and press it along the edge of the concertina. Re-fold the concertina in half so the two edges stick together. Gently press them together to make sure they are secure. It’s now beginning to look like a fan!
10. Repeat this process on the other side of the concertina, sticking pressing the two edges together. Then gently fan out the folds so they are all even and neat.
11. You can then use the twine on the back to hang the fan up on the wall. Make a selection of different sized paper fan decorations and group together for a wow-factor display! Alternatively you can tie one to the top of a present.
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