How to Make Beautiful Paper Marigolds

Today we’re going to make easy tissue paper flowers that are wonderful for Day of the Dead.

Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, was a big part of my childhood because I grew up in Los Angeles. You may know that the holiday is marked by colorful skulls and skeletons, altars to ancestors filled with gifts like candles and pictures of loved ones, and cempazuchitl flowers, which are known as the “flower of the dead” in Mexico.

I’m going to show you how to make easy tissue Mexican paper flowers for Dia de los Muertos to put around your house or on your altar. You can make these pretty flowers in any color, and you could easily use the same method to make a bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day or a birthday.

Marigolds are a traditional flower used to decorate Day of the Dead altars. Their bright yellow and orange colors symbolize the sun and light. While fresh marigolds are ideal stunning paper marigolds can also be crafted to adorn any Dia de los Muertos display.

Making paper marigolds is an easy, thrifty craft that kids will love. With just tissue paper and a few other basic supplies you can create gorgeous marigold flowers in any size or color. Follow this simple step-by-step tutorial to learn how to make marigolds that will add festive spirit to Day of the Dead celebrations.

Supplies Needed

  • Tissue paper in marigold colors – orange, yellow, red, etc. Solid color or assorted packs work.

  • Green pipe cleaners, 1 per flower

  • Scissors

  • Mini paper flowers: Optional floral tape, floral stem wire

  • Large paper flowers: Hot glue gun

Step 1: Cut the Tissue Paper

  • Start with tissue paper approximately 20” x 26”. Cut it evenly into quarters so you have 4 sheets about 10” x 13” each.

  • Stack the quarters and cut them in half. Now you have 8 sheets of tissue paper measuring approx. 7.5” x 10”.

  • For smaller flowers, cut the quarters into even smaller squares. For giant flowers, keep them whole or cut fewer times.

Step 2: Accordion Fold the Sheets

  • Stack 4 of the cut tissue sheets together.

  • Fold the stack into an accordion fold, pressing creases firmly.

  • For fuller flowers, use more sheets. For sparser flowers, use fewer.

Step 3: Cut Petal Shapes

  • Cut petal shapes across the folded edge. This can be a half circle, zig zag, or other creative shape.

  • Cut identical shapes on both ends to create symmetrical petals.

Step 4: Wrap Stem and Fluff Flower

  • Wrap a green pipe cleaner tightly around the center of the folded tissue to create a stem.

  • For mini flowers, secure with floral tape. For larger flowers, hot glue pipe cleaner in place.

  • Gently pull the tissue layers apart and fluff out the flower starting from the center.

  • Move the top layer up to form the upper row of petals.

Step 5: Repeat to Make More Flowers!

  • Follow steps 2-4 to transform the remaining sheets of tissue paper into marigolds.

  • Create an entire marigold bouquet or garland by making many flowers.

Paper Marigold Crafting Tips

  • For giant floor marigolds, stack 8+ sheets before folding for very full flowers. Use sturdier cardstock paper and secure stems with hot glue.

  • For realistic centers, cut small circles from orange paper, gather into a ball, and glue inside flower.

  • Hot glue large finished marigolds onto thick florist wires to create removable bouquets. Hide the stem with a leaf collar.

  • Intermix different colored papers for multi-hued flowers. Try red, orange, yellow, pink, and white.

  • Use flower shaping or stylist wires to bend petals into natural, open shapes. Hide the wires inside stems.

  • Stagger the heights of stems and bend them in organic angles to make bouquets and arrangements fuller.

  • Glue on beads, sequins, or glitter to add sparkle and dimension to petals

Displaying Paper Marigold Flowers

The creative possibilities are endless when displaying handmade paper marigolds:

  • Decorate Day of the Dead home altars or ofrendas

  • Embellish sugar skulls

  • Line the pathway to the altar or front door

  • Use in cemetery decorations and grave sites

  • Craft mini bouquets as party favors

  • Embellish Day of the Dead masks and costumes

  • Decorate classroom altars or learning stations

  • Brighten tables as centerpieces

  • Border stair railings and mantels

  • String into garlands and bunting

  • Cluster on wreaths and in floral arrangements

  • Pair with papel picado banners

Connecting Kids with Culture Through Crafts

Making paper marigold flowers together is a hands-on way for kids to learn about the Day of the Dead tradition. As you craft, discuss the symbolism and cultural significance of marigolds to honor ancestors and welcome their spirits home.

Describe how marigolds decorate altars, cemeteries, processions, and more during the multi-day Dia de los Muertos celebrations across Mexico and Latin America.

Engage kids’ creativity to invent their own unique ways to use handmade marigolds for celebrating. The beautiful flowers they craft will become treasured keepsakes and reminders of your shared experience learning about the holiday.

More Day of the Dead Craft Ideas

Once you’ve mastered marigolds, try your hand at these other fun Dia de los Muertos crafts:

Clay Sugar Skulls

  • Mold small skulls out of clay or salt dough. Decorate with bright icing, beads, and sequins.

Papel Picado Banners

  • Cut out skull or flower designs on colorful tissue paper. String up with ribbon.

Calavera Masks and Crowns

  • Make wearable masks and crowns adorned with flowers, designs, and curling feathers.

Shadow Box Altars

  • Assemble mini memorial altars inside shadow boxes, dioramas, or light-up boxes.

Skull Lanterns

  • Decorate paper mache skull-shaped lanterns with tissue paper, glitter, and lights.

Pan de Muerto

  • Shape sweet bread into skeleton figures and decorate with colored icing to look like flowers, bones, and skulls.

Handcrafting marigolds, sugar skulls, and other iconic Dia de los Muertos symbols is a mindful, meditative way for kids and grown-ups alike to honor ancestors and experience the spirit of the holiday.

So grab some tissue paper and try making these cheerful paper flowers. Your homemade marigolds will add vibrant spirit to any Day of the Dead ofrenda or celebration. ¡Viva la vida y la muerte!

Step 2: Fold and Cut the Paper

  • Stack four sheets of paper.
  • Pleat the paper in an accordion fold.
  • Cut a half-circle shape from the each end. (You could also cut a point or zig-zag).
  • To keep the paper in place, wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of it. This will also act as the stem.

Step 1: Cut the Paper

  • You now have two 13-by-20-inch sheets of tissue paper after cutting the first one in half.
  • Cut each of those pieces in half. Now you have four sheets that are each about 10″ x 13″.
  • Cut each of those pieces in half. Now you have eight 7-inch by 8-inch sheets of paper. 5″ x 10″.

Note: You could make these any size! Please take these dimensions as a starting point.

Marigold.How to make paper flowers tutorial.Origami DIY.Paper Craft.

FAQ

How do you start a marigold plant?

Place each marigold into your planting hole and fill each crevice with soil until it reaches the base of its stem. Press the soil with your hands firmly, forming an even surface on top. Lastly, water to a 4-inch depth. Once established, your marigolds will multiply, even if you leave them unattended.

How long does it take for marigold to come to flower?

Those plants which show flowering one time and the fall out called annual plants, such as marigold, wheat and rice plants are annual plants and they take 3 months for the flowering and they live for one year.

How do you make a marigold flower?

Join the five petals together to form a flower. Secure each one in place using tape or glue. You may also use brads, or paper fasteners, to join all five of them together. This will create your marigold’s center. Using green paper, cut out four leaf-shaped pieces. These leaves will be used to make the stem of your marigold.

How do you make marigolds out of tissue paper?

But if you can’t find it, you can also make beautiful marigolds out of tissue paper. Pipe cleaners – To hold all the pieces of paper together and to create the stem. You can also use wire or cord. Ruler, pencil, and scissors.

What is a paper Marigold?

Paper marigolds are often associated with the Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos. Learn to capture the beauty of marigolds as DIY paper flowers. Download the marigold SVG cut files for cutting machines and PDF printables perfect for decorating for fall.

How do you make a Marigold ring?

Simply cut an extra layer of the largest paper marigold petal. Take an 18-22 gauge green wire and bend it at a 90-degree angle about 1 inch down from the tip. Then form a small circle at the top to create a base. Punch a tiny hole through the petal layer.

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