This Paper Leaf & Acorn Wreath Is Adorable

To make the leaves, start by printing out the template at 100% scale and cut out the leaf templates you’d like to use.

Here are two templates to try: leaves and acorn

Leaf Materials:

Assorted coloured paper in fall leaf colours

Pencil

Eraser

Scissors

X-Acto knife

Ruler

Cutting mat

Printable template printed to 100% scale (Like this one)

 

Oak Leaf

Instructions:

Step 1

Trace the leaf onto coloured paper using a pencil. Using scissors or an X-Acto, cut out the leaf shape. Erase the pencil lines from your traced leaf shape.

Pro tip: Save time by cutting two leaves at once by folding your paper in half.

Step 2

To create the folds, start by placing your ruler vertically from the top of the leaf to one side of the stem and score a line by lightly running your X-Acto knife along the ruler’s edge. Be careful not to score the line too deeply and accidentally cut the leaf in half. Fold the leaf in half away from the score line.

Step 3

Next, open the folded leaf and place your ruler along the centerfold. Using a pencil, lightly make a mark at 1 inch and 3 inches along the centerline. Following the dashed line in the template, score a line from the 1 inch mark to the center of the top ridge on both sides of the leaf to create a “v”. Do the same thing with the 3 inch mark and the tips of the 3rd leaf ridge, making a second scored “v”. Fold the leaf away from the score lines.

Step 4

Flip over the leaf so the last two scored “v”s are down and make a mark 2 inches down the centerfold of the leaf. Using the template as a guide, score a line from this mark to the center of the second ridge on both sides. Fold in the opposite direction of your first two “v”s.

Step 5

Erase all pencil marks.

Voila!

Accordion Leaf

Instructions:

Step 1

Using a pencil, trace the leaf onto coloured paper. With scissors or an X-Acto, cut the leaves out and then erase the pencil lines from your traced leaf shape.

Step 2

As with the oak leaf, start by placing your ruler vertically from the top of the leaf to one side of the stem and score the line by lightly running your X-Acto knife along the ruler’s edge; be careful not to cut too deeply. Fold the leaf in half away from the scored line.

Step 3

Next, with the scored side down, open the folded leaf and use a pencil to mark a 7/8 inch and 2 1/8 inches along the centerline. Place the template over your leaf and mark the top of the 1st and 3rd dashed “v” lines. Score a line from the top marks to the center 7/8 inch mark on both sides of the leaf to create a “v” following the template.

Do the same thing with the 2 1/8 inch mark and the tips of the 3rd leaf ridge making a second scored “v”. Fold the leaf away from the score lines.

Step 4

Flip over the leaf and make a mark 1.5 inches down the centerfold of the leaf. Using the template as a guide, mark the edges of the second “v” and score the lines on both sides. Fold in the opposite direction of your first two “v”s.

Step 5

Erase all pencil marks.

You’re done! How easy was that?

Ridged Leaf

Instructions:

Step 1

Score a line 1 inch on the edge of a sheet of coloured paper and fold along the score line.

Step 2

With the straight edge of the template along the folded edge, trace the ridged leaf template onto the coloured paper using a pencil.

Step 3

Then cut out the traced ridge leaf using scissors or an X-Acto knife. Erase any visible pencil marks and unfold.

You did it! Hooray!

The directions for the Maple Leaf are very similar:

Maple Leaf

Instructions:

Step 1

Trace either the small or large maple leaf template onto coloured paper using a pencil. Cut out using scissors or an X-Acto and then erase the pencil lines from your traced leaf shape.

Pro tip: Save time by cutting two leaves out at once by folding your paper in half.

Step 2

Score a line from the top point to the right side of the stem by lightly running your X-Acto knife along the ruler’s edge; be careful not to cut too deeply. Fold the leaf in half away from the scored line.

Step 3

Open the folded leaf and with the scored side down; use a pencil to mark 1 1/4 inches along the centerline. Using the template as a guide, score from the top right point to the center mark and repeat on the left side to create a “v”. Fold the leaf away from the score lines.

Step 4

Flip over the leaf and following the template, score a line between the large right point and the smallest point on the left side. Do the same thing on the opposite side so that your score lines form an “x”. Fold each line away from the score line.

Flip it over and with the scored “x” side down, score a new line between the center of the “x” and the 3rd tip of the leaf. Repeat on the opposite side and fold both away from the score line.

Step 6

Erase any visible pencil lines.

Done like dinner!

Acorn

Acorn Materials:

2 similar shades of coloured paper (brown)

Pencil

Eraser

Scissors

X-Acto knife

Ruler

Cutting mat

Foam brush

Natural PH adhesive glue

Glue container

Printable template printed to 100% scale (Like this one)

To make the acorns, start by printing out the template at 100% scale and cut out the templates you want to use.

*Note: Instructions for both sizes of acorn are the same, so follow the notes for each size.

Acorn bottom

Instructions:

Step 1

Score a line 3/4 inches from the edge of a sheet of coloured paper. Flip the sheet over and fold the paper away from the scored line.

Step 2

Starting at the bottom edge of the strip, begin tracing the acorn bottom template, making sure to align the straight edge of the template with the fold. Flip the template and trace again, making sure the straight edge is always along the fold. Continue in this way until you’ve traced 12 small acorn bottom templates, or 16 large ones.

* Note: If making the small acorn trace 12 small bottom templates, if making the large acorn, trace 16 large bottom templates.

Step 3

Time to cut ‘em out! Using your ruler’s edge, cut the entire strip away from the sheet of paper, then begin to cut out the bottoms.

Step 4

To assemble the acorn bottom, start by taking the first bottom and with the foam brush, apply glue from the center toward the folded edge. Take a second one and line it up with the first, then press it with your fingers to glue them together.

Continue doing this until they are all glued into a stack, always applying glue toward the folded edge. When you’re done they should fan out like a book.

Step 5

When all of the bottom pieces have been glued together, glue the first one to the last one so they make a circle. Set aside to dry.

Acorn top

Instructions:

Step 1

Using the second colour of paper, start by tracing both pieces for the acorn top. Cut out both templates and set the circle aside.

* Note: If making the large acorn, trace the full length of the strip and large circle, if making the small acorn, trace the small circle and the strip until the trim line.

Tip: We found it easier to cut out the outside of the strip using a ruler and X-Acto and the notches with scissors.

Step 2

With your ruler, mark a height of a ¼ inch on both sides of the strip. Lightly score the length of the strip using your ruler and X-Acto; be careful not to cut completely through the paper. Fold the paper away from the score line. The notches in the template should start at the fold.

Step 3

Take your circle, and if you haven’t already, cut the line from the edge of the circle to the center. Separate the two sides and carefully apply glue to one side of the cut. Carefully overlap the two edges to make a cone shape and press with your fingers to glue them together.

*Note: For the large top, overlap the edges ½ inch. On the small acorn, the overlap should be ¼ of an inch.

Step 4

To assemble the acorn top, start at the seam of the cone and glue the tabs to the inside of cone making sure the tabs fold inward. Press with your fingers as the glue dries. Continue until the tabs are fully secured around the edge of the cone. Trim any excess and glue the edges together.

Step 5

To assemble the acorn, apply a ring of glue around the inside edge of the acorn along the tabs. Gently place the flat edge of the acorn bottom inside the top and hold.

Wreath

Our wreath was made with some vine from my yard, but you don’t have time, or access to the right materials, a pre-made grape vine wreath like this one works great too.

Materials

–       8 feet of vine

–      hot glue gun

–       Assorted paper leaves in various fall colours. To make ours, we used:

o  4 Oak leaves

o   4 maple leaves (2 large, 2 small)

o   5 Accordion leaves

o   2 Ridged leaves

–       3 acorns, 2 small and 1 large

*Leaf and acorns can either be above or link to separate project page(s)*

Instructions:

Step 1

To make a wreath, you’ll need at least 8 feet of vine. Start by curving the vine into a rough circle shape. Ours is 10 ½ inches in diameter but feel free to make yours larger or smaller. After you’ve got your initial circle form, gently start to weave the remaining vine around itself until you’re out of vine.

More vine you have, the fuller your wreath will be.

Step 2

With a hot glue gun attach leaves and acorns to your liking.

We went asymmetrical with ours, but you may want your leaves to go all the way around. Show us you yours by using the tags #bemakeful and #bemakefulpaperwreath