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How to Make a Paper Sunflower

Written by Coree Casinger

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Reading time for 5 min

Close your eyes and picture a sunflower. Did you smile? I know I did. Sunflowers are one of the happiest flowers I have ever seen. The bright yellow leaves just make you want to smile and elicit joy. Sunflowers have become a key design element in a lot of home decor projects. From rustic farmhouse themes to adding a splash of bold color, sunflowers are a simple addition that pleases the eye.

Quick in
1. Choosing your supplies 2. Steps for making paper sunflowers Step 1: Cut and fold your cardstock Step 2: Shape ends Step 3: Glue ends together Step 4: Fold, fringe, and roll brown paper Step 5: Attach yellow cardstock Step 6: Finishing your paper sunflower

Choosing your supplies

As with any project, the type of materials you use can drastically change the outcome of your project. Let’s go over some of the options you have for creating your paper sunflower.

Paper

For this project, we will need a paper that is not too thick. Anything past a medium weight (approximately 65 lbs) of paper will be difficult to fold in the way we will be folding the paper. Depending on what your paper sunflower will be used for, you could go extremely lightweight with origami paper, or, for a sturdier paper sunflower, a medium-weight paper. 

How you will use your paper sunflower will help determine what type of paper you use. Of course, using what you have on hand can also determine what you do with your paper sunflowers.

Adhesive

Hot glue is our best friend when it comes to paper projects. I have found that liquid glue can unstick after about a week, and glue sticks. I'm lucky if the project is sticking together by the time I am done putting it together! Liquid glue is nice if you have time (and patience!) to wait for pieces to dry enough that they are adhered and won’t pull apart as you put together the entire project. 

Hot glue dries pretty instantly, and holds my paper projects together wonderfully, which is why it is my preferred glue for paper projects.

Scissors or cutting machine

Cutting machines have made paper projects significantly easier, and offer precise cuts on projects. If you have a cutting machine and prefer to use that versus cutting by hand, there are plenty of templates for projects, especially flowers. But if you don’t feel like breaking out the cutting machine for a project as simple as this, a good pair of scissors will work just fine.

Steps for making paper sunflowers

The picture shows the materials and tools used to make the paper sunflowers.

Today, we are going to make an easy paper sunflower, a project even the little ones in your life can give a try. For our paper sunflower, we will need the following supplies:

Yellow cardstock

Brown cardstock

Hot glue gun

Hot glue sticks

Scissors

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Cut and fold your cardstock

Cut six 4x9” strips, and one 2” circle from your yellow cardstock, and cut five 1.5x11” strips from your brown cardstock.

Starting with the short end of a yellow strip of cardstock, fold your paper up a ½”, flip the strip over, and fold up another ½”. Continue in this fashion to create an accordion fold. Repeat with all of your yellow and brown cardstock strips.

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Pro Tip: Scoring your yellow strips of cardstock every ½” will make folding the paper that much easier!

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Step 2: Shape ends

Cut a petal shape into one end of each folded yellow strip of cardstock approximately 1” from the end, as shown below. Alternatively, you could draw the shape before cutting.

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Pro Tip: For thicker cardstock, hold a few of the folds together to cut the petal shapes, as shown below.

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Step 3: Glue ends together

Begin by gluing two strips of folded yellow cardstock together at one end. Continue gluing the yellow cardstock together, one end at a time, until you have glued all the strips together and have one continuous line of folded yellow cardstock. Once you have glued each section together, bunch the strips together to reinforce the creased lines.

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Next, take each end, and glue them together to form a circle. 

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Pro Tip: Make sure you pay attention to how you attach the petals, ensuring you maintain the accordion-style fold. Also, make sure you do not twist your paper when gluing to make a circle.

Step 4: Fold, fringe, and roll brown paper

Fold your brown cardstock strips in half-long ways. Glue the edges down, making sure to not let the glue extend to the fold. Then, cut slits along the folded side of the brown cardstock, as shown below.

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Next, begin rolling the brown cardstock, placing small strips of hot glue along the bottom to secure the roll. At the end of the first strip, begin the next strip on the opposite side of where your last strip ended.

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Pro Tip: Be sure to keep your roll tight so there is no loose space between layers.

Step 5: Attach yellow cardstock

Now for the slightly tricky part! Place your rolled, brown cardstock in the center of your yellow cardstock circle. Beginning on one side, place a small line of hot glue along the bottom of the brown cardstock. Pinch a few of the yellow folds together, and press them into the hot glue. Hold it in place as the glue sets. Repeat on the opposite side. 

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Next, push the brown cardstock to the left, as you gently push the yellow cardstock toward the brown cardstock. You will notice that the yellow cardstock falls into place around the brown cardstock. Place a good strip of hot glue along the bottom on the left side of the brown cardstock, then push the yellow and brown cardstock on the left back together. Hold in place while the glue sets. Repeat with the other side.

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Step 6: Finishing your paper sunflower

Flip your paper sunflower over, so it is face down. Apply a liberal amount of hot glue over the center of your flower, and then press your 2” yellow circle onto the back. To ensure it is adhered well, flip your sunflower right side up, and press the center down.

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Finally, using your thumb, press the brown cardstock down and out to spread the brown spiral out. Voila! You have just made a paper sunflower!

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The picture is step by step picture 27 of making a paper sunflower.

Pro Tip: You can easily change the ratio of the center to the petals by adding more fringed strips of brown to the centerpiece, or by decreasing the width of the yellow strips of cardstock.

Paper projects are a lot of fun, and they can be super easy to put together. The bonus is that kids love doing paper projects, too! I encourage you to brighten up your space with some paper sunflowers, and then come back and share what you have created.