Photograph by Basile Morin on Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Paper craft · tutorial
Lantern foldSample
Saskia Vermeer · Amsterdam, Netherlands
1 Nov 2026
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A paper lantern you can cut and fold from one sheet. The tutorial includes the order of scores. Use 160 gsm paper if you want it to hold a shape, and an LED bulb. This one is in the November challenge because the whole point is the light.
- Materials
- 160 gsm paper, Starch paste
- Tools
- Bone folder, Knife, Metal ruler
- Time
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
How it was made
1
Print and score
Print the sheet at 100%. Score every dashed line with a bone folder before any cut. The paper should whisper, not tear.
2
Cut the windows
Cut the inner windows with a sharp knife and a metal ruler. Leave the hairline bridges. They are what keep the shade from collapsing when it is lit.
3
Fold the valley
Mountain folds on the solid lines, valley folds on the dashes. Work one bay at a time. If a crease fights you, flip the sheet and burnish from the back.
4
Close and light
Glue the tab with a thin line of starch paste. A warm LED bulb, never a candle. The ochre paper should glow, not scorch.
