Easy Pinwheel - Aunt Annie's Crafts

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Simple crafts for family, classroom and group craft time

Friday Fun, for kids

Simple crafts for family, classroom and group craft time

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Easy DIY Pinwheel

Summer craft: Turn paper into fun!

What you will make:

Just in time for a breezy March day, make this colorful paper pinwheel with nothing more than paper, a pencil and a straight pin. Children of all ages will be delighted with this whirling windmill. Make several as party decorations or favors!

This is a terrific "make and take" craft for a birthday party, and is well-suited for family, group or classroom craft time. With a little preparation by the adult or teen leader, this project can be completed in no time!

Here's what you need:

• Computer paper
• Pencil with eraser, unsharpened
• Straight pin with ball top
• Optional: Small bead, glue

• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil

This project is rated EASY to do.

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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.

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How to Make the Easy Pinwheel

Read all of the steps before starting.

Step 1: Project Preparation

Gather the materials needed for making a pinwheel. If you are doing this project with a group of children, pre-cut the 6" (15 cm) paper squares.

Step 2: Cut Square

Cut a 6" (15 cm) square of paper that has been printed with one of Aunt Annie's Red and Blue Stars digital papers.

Tip: Two-sided pinwheels can be made by gluing two printed squares back-to-back, or by printing on both sides of heavy paper (24- or 32-pound).

Step 3: Cut

Use the pencil and ruler to draw two diagonal lines, corner-to-corner, that cross at the square's center. Mark the center point and mark a point 2¾" (7 cm) from each corner on the diagonal line.

Cut on the diagonal line from each corner up to the marked point. Erase pencil marks, except for the center point.

Step 4: Assemble

• Using the straight pin, punch a hole in the center and at every other point (about ¼" from the tip.)
• Poke the pin through one of the point holes and curl the point toward the center. Don't fold!
• Curl each pierced point, in turn, toward the center and poke the pin through the holes.
• Push the pin through the center hole of the pinwheel.
• Holding the pencil on a flat surface with one hand, push the pin into the side of the eraser.

Step 5: Finish

You now have a pinwheel! Hold the pinwheel in your hand and swish it around. The pinwheel should rotate on the pin. Take the pinwheel outside on a breezy day and see it whirl like crazy!

Tip: If your pinwheel doesn't rotate freely, it is probably rubbing against the pencil. You can fix this problem by inserting the pin into the eraser at a slight upward angle, or by slipping a small bead onto the pin before inserting it into the eraser.

That's it! Your pinwheel is done!

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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!!!

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Thanks to Bob LaFara for sharing this craft idea with Aunt Annie's Craft Exchange in 1995.

See more craft projects and stories by Bob at Bob's Stuff.

Tip: Make a two-sided pinwheel by gluing two printed squares of paper back-to-back.

This pinwheel was made with Aunt Annie's Red and Blue Stars.

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Tip: Make a pinwheel from heavy paper (24- or 32-pound) that has been printed on both the front and the back.

This pinwheel was made by printing Aunt Annie's Red and Blue Stars digital paper and Blue Polka Dot digital paper on either side of 32-pound paper.

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