Paper is a wonderful thing but sadly, we get it from the trees. Therefore it is our responsibility to use paper wisely and reuse it as much as possible.

Today, we are making a beautiful butterfly out of colourful papers, and it can be used as a gift pack topper, as a wall/mirror decoration, or for your art project. The paper used in making this butterfly is not much so you can almost use the leftover scarps of wrapping papers, newspapers, or coloured papers if you have any.

Things you need:

1. Colourful papers (at least two different colours).

2. Four white strips (to cover the wings)

3. Clear glue

4. Scissors

5. Stick or quilling tool

6. Glitter (optional)

7. A matchstick or toothpick

Note: A butterfly wing structure is usually of two upper and two lower wings; you can search butterfly images for inspiration and change colours, I am making a two-coloured butterfly that is lilac and purple.

Direction:

1. Cut very thin strips from both colours (not more than half centimetre wide), but should be at least six to eight inches in length, as in picture 2.

2. With the help of a stick or quilling tool, wind the strip on it. Keep winding while twisting your tool carefully until you reach the end, as shown in picture 3.

3. Slide the tool out and set aside, and using the same technique make more spirals from all the strips (except the whites).

4. Now glue the edge of the strip to keep it intact, picture 4.

5. Press/pinch the end of the spiral to create a teardrop shape from all the spirals you just made, as these will make the wings of the butterfly, pictures 5 and 6.

6. Take two lilac spirals and glue them together, then wrap them around with the purple strip and glue it, picture 7.

7. Repeat step 6 to make three more wings (one upper and two lower). When done, wrap them with the white strip to highlight the inside colour of the wings, picture 8.

8. Next, press and pinch the wings to give them proper shape as in picture 9.

9. With that the wings of the butterfly are ready. It’s time to make the body.

10. Take the toothpick or matchstick wrap it with the darker shade, picture 10.

11. To make the antennas, cut two very thin strips about two inches in length and roll it from the top as shown in picture 11; glue them to the both sides of the body. Picture 12.

12. All the parts of the butterfly are ready now, picture 13.

13. Glue the upper wings carefully to the body, aligned with the adjacent wings. Then glue the lower wings. Leave it to dry. Your butterfly is ready, picture 14.

NOTE: if you want to add details like glitters or more colours, you can use glitter glue/ paints, if you don’t have glitter glue then paste the clear glue on the butterfly wings and sprinkle some glitters.

Published in Dawn, Young World April 1st, 2017