Crepe Paper Napkin Rings

I first made these many years ago and honestly can't remember why. Just a little idea that popped into my head. They are really simple to make and would be a good activity for the kids to do to keep them busy over the holidays. And it only costs a dollar or two for the crepe paper.

You will need:

A cardboard tube, such as an empty paper towel roll

Crepe paper

Scissors and/or X-Acto knife

Glue or tape

Optional: Stickers, paint, other embellishments

This step will need to be done by an adult or older child.

Mark off sections of your cardboard tube, however wide you want your rings to be. Cut with an X-Acto knife or pair of scissors. If it's a little uneven you can trim it with your scissors, but don't worry about getting it perfect. Small uneven spots won't show when it's finished.

Cut a piece of crepe paper from your roll and fold it in half lengthwise. How much you need will depend on the size of your rings and how you want to wrap the paper. If you space it out more, you will use less. You will probably need between 40 and 50 inches for each ring.

1) Start by placing one end on the inside of the ring. You can glue it down if you want to or just hold it in place. Then loop the paper over the ring and pull it through the center, being sure to overlap it.
2) Bring it back around the outside of the ring, crisscrossing the first loop, then through the center again.
3) Continue wrapping in a crisscross pattern until the whole ring is covered, making sure that you are always overlapping the paper.

When you get to the end, cut off any excess paper and secure the end to the inside of the ring with a little glue or tape. (If you run out before you get to the end, just glue or tape the end down and continue with a new piece of paper.)

Your basic napkin ring is done!

To make a ring with two colours, wrap your first colour all the way around on a diagonal, leaving gaps, and secure the end. Then wrap again with your second colour, covering the gaps you left the first time.

I was in a hurry when I did this one and you can see in the pictures that it isn't wrapped quite tightly enough and the edges of the paper are a little uneven. You want to pull the paper a little as you go to keep it tight and try to match up your edges a little better.

You can leave your rings as they are, or you can decorate them any way you like. You could use stickers, paint or small ornaments.

To make a simple paper decoration, cut some white crepe paper and fold it like a fan. Then cut a smaller piece of red paper and fold it the same way and insert it in the middle of the first one. Tape one end together and cover the tape with paper to hide it. Fan them out and attach to the ring with a little glue.

The green ring is one of the originals from a long time ago. It is decorated with a clay star painted gold which I had made earlier for another project.

I will add instructions for the third decoration if I ever remember how I made it.


And that's it. :0)