Easy and
elegant
Aunt Annie's Crafts
Paper Medallions
What you will make:
Make paper medallions to decorate gift packages. The medallions are a nice alternative to bows and ribbon, and when made from foil add extra elegance to your present. There are three different medallion designs with two sizes each. Use each size alone or make them with contrasting colors and layer the two sizes together. The medallions can also be hung in a window or made into a simple mobile with pipe cleaners and thread.
Here's what you need:
- Cardstock or computer paper
- Origami squares or gift wrap cut into squares: 4" (10 cm) and 6" (15 cm)
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Glue stick
- Optional: Pipe cleaners, thread and tape.
This project is rated EASY to do.
How To Make Paper Medallions
Read all of the steps before starting.
- Step 1: Choose a Pattern and Print It
-
Choose a medallion to make. There is one pattern which includes all six medallion templates, and two patterns for green and red medallions that coordinate with Christmas Stripe ePaper. Download and print the pattern. Make templates by printing directly on cardstock or print on paper and transfer the pattern to lightweight cardboard. Print the colored medallions to plain paper or glossy photo paper.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's Crafts project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select "Auto-Rotate and Center" or "Choose paper source by PDF page size" to ensure the best fit.
Step 2: Cut Templates-
Cut each template on its black outline. Try to cut exactly to keep the points sharp. The larger templates are sized for 6-inch (15 cm) squares and the smaller templates for 4-inch (10 cm) squares.
For the green and red medallions, cut out the medallions, being sure to cut straight and evenly, then go to Step 4.
- Step 3: Cut Medallions
-
Fold gift wrap or origami square in half, right side out. Align the template on the folded edge. Using a pencil, carefully trace around the template onto the paper. Keeping the paper folded, cut out the medallion. Be sure to cut straight and evenly. Unfold the medallion.
- Step 4: Fold
-
Keeping the right side out, fold the medallion across in a straight line from point to point, through the center of the medallion. Use a small plastic ruler with a sharp edge to fold the medallion over. Repeat for each point.
Next, fold the medallion wrong side out from each inwards point (valley) to inwards point, through the center. Repeat all the way around.
Refold the point to point folds to make sure they are crisp and prominent. The medallions should take on a three-dimensional shape after folding.
- Step 5: Glue
-
To make a double medallion, glue a small medallion on top of a large medallion. Just a few spots of glue on some of the large medallion's peaks should be enough.
-
To attach the medallion to a gift package, place a little glue on the medallion's underside and press on gently.
Before you start -
- Make a place to work.
- Read all of the directions.
- Gather everything you need to do the project.
- Think about the project. Imagine how it will look and what you will do with it.
Are you ready?
Okay, get started!!!
Thanks to...
Thanks to Janet LaFara for creating the original paper medallions project and patterns for Aunt Annie's Craft Page in 1997.
Janet suggested other uses for the medallions, "Hang the medallions in a window or use the medallions for Christmas tree ornaments."
Enlarge
Tip: For a nice effect, make a small medallion out of
the same wrapping paper used on the package and a harmonizing color for
a large medallion. Glue the small medallion on top of the larger one.
Enlarge
Tip: Make a standing fan-like decoration for your
package using a medallion. Cut along two adjacent valley
folds to the center, removing one point section. Glue the two cut sides to the package
to form a half-moon. For a finished look, use double-side origami
paper or glue two squares together, back-to-back.
Enlarge
Tip: Make the medallion and wrap the gift using the
same wrapping paper. Glue the medallion to a contrasting square of
wrapping paper.
Enlarge
Tip: Decorate Christmas presents with green and red
striped medallions. Select either the
12-point
or
8-point
pattern, then print, cut and fold.
Enlarge
Tip: The green and red medallions coordinate with the
Christmas
Stripe ePaper.