Image Map

a tutorial blog that covers crafts, diy, home decor, sewing, paper crafting and more.

  • Home
  • Start Here!
  • Crafts
  • Holidays
  • Home Decor
  • Jewelry
  • Recipes
  • Sewing
  • SVG Shop

How to Make a Paper Sphere

May 2, 2017 By: Katie31 Comments

Make a Paper Sphere! Fun party decorations or beautiful home decor. An easy DIY craft tutorial idea perfect for any theme or event.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Have you seen these Paper Spheres? I saw one at a woman’s show and thought it was absolutely amazing. It was made out of plastic, not paper and was real lamp – how cool is that?! But the price tag was a little steep at $100 and decided I could easily make my own… right?

While searching Pinterest for a project tutorial, I found this one and became super excited to get started.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

I found a tutorial on Instructables but had a hard time opening their template. I found pdf download template that I could open, so this tutorial came by combining the two.

Supplies Used: Some links may be too similar items when exact items couldn’t be found online.

  • Template
  • Pattern Paper
  • Scissors

How to Make a Paper Sphere 

Print out the template and trace onto chipboard so you have a sturdy pattern piece that can easily be traced over and over again.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Trace and cut out 25 shapes out of the pattern scrapbook paper.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

I immediately started trying to assemble and it really is like a great big jigsaw puzzle. I tried for about an hour and was getting very, VERY frustrated because I couldn’t get it to work and I thought I was following the tutorial, but it still wasn’t working. I finally had to get up and walk away, or I was going to loose it.

I let it sit for a couple of days and then sat down to try again. It still took me a while to figure it out, but I got it! YAY! So while Instructable’s tutorial is great I am going to add a couple of tidbits so hopefully, you won’t get as frustrated as I did.

Just a warning: This is a difficult project. I will try to answer questions where I can, but it really just takes playing with it and figuring out how it all goes together.

Following the tutorial, make your base. (I actually made two bases and then connected them together instead of building from the bottom up).

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

This is the same piece turned over.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Holding the base on your lap, put the next row on the base. Do that to both bases.

What the sphere looks like looking in.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Now, this is where it gets a really confusing. If you look at the pieces you will see that each side of the piece slopes in a different direction. For the first several steps, assemble all the pieces going the same way. The next row you are going to want to turn the pieces over so they slope in the opposite direction and assemble the next row. In the next picture, I tried to show you the direction of the pieces by using these signs < > as the direction of the piece. Only do this to one base because this is the center row.

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Put the 2 bases together, connect the tabs, and you have a sphere!

Patterned Paper Sphere | DIY Home Decor | Paper Crafting | Handmade 

Hang with a piece of ribbon or fishing line.

This project was a doozy for me, BUT after all of the time I spent being completely ticked off at this project I was so glad that I figured it out!

I hung it the corner of our family room where the kid’s computer sits. There is something so satisfying about finishing something that gave you such a hard time. It makes you appreciate it even more!

Where would you hang a paper sphere? Leave a comment below to share.

SAVE HOW TO MAKE A PAPER SPHERE TO YOUR FAVORITE PAPER CRAFTING PINTEREST BOARD!

And let’s be friends on Pinterest so you can see all the DIY projects I’m pinning!

You Might Also Like:

  • Any Occasion Handmade Card
  • Handmade Retro Bracelet
  • Glitter & Foil Shaker Banner
  • Fringed Paper Wreath
  • Cut 8 Pennants out of 1 Sheet

 

Comments

  1. Summer @ Summer Scraps says

    May 2, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Glad you stuck with it because it looks really cool – and extremely difficult! Great job!

    Reply
  2. Claire @ a little something in the meantime . . . says

    May 3, 2012 at 1:20 am

    Wow, this looks like it would be SO hard to assemble! The finished product is amazing though so good for you for sticking with it to the bitter end!

    Reply
  3. Liz says

    May 3, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    Looks complicated, but very beautiful! Liz

    Reply
  4. Michelles Tasty Creations says

    May 3, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    Wow, this is Amazing! So glad it worked out. I probably wouldn’t have gone back but so glad you did. Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday this week. I can’t wait to see what you link up next week. Have a great day.

    Michelle

    Reply
  5. Adrianne at Happy Hour Projects says

    May 4, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I have seen these as lamps… I didn’t realize it was DIY-able, but now I’d like to give it a try!! Thanks for the share!

    Reply
  6. Terry says

    May 4, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I’ve never seen these before but how cool is that!! Yours turned out great with all of those pretty colourful papers. Thanks for sharing at our party this week.

    Reply
  7. Connie says

    May 4, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Katie: I’m Connie at http://hotflashncraftn.blogspot.com/, a new GFC friend. I would love it if you stop over and be mine too.
    This is so cool, honestly just by looking at it, I had no idea it was paper. Very cool, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Debra Kapellakis says

    May 4, 2012 at 11:14 am

    BRAVO! You encourage me!

    Reply
  9. Kara at Petals to Picots says

    May 5, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    This is so cool! Thanks for sharing at my party! Have a great weekend πŸ™‚

    Reply
  10. Sass - aka - Kathy says

    May 7, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    I love it! Will have to give it a try – I love a challenge!

    Reply
  11. Rachel says

    May 8, 2012 at 3:49 pm

    This looks complicated, but sooo cool! Thanks for sharing at Terrific Tuesdays.
    Rachel
    adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com

    Reply
  12. Jenny @ The NY Melrose Family says

    May 8, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    I love it! The colors you chose are so fun. I have to check the tutorial to totally understand. Thanks so much for sharing at Whimsy Wednesdays.

    Reply
  13. Holly Legare says

    May 9, 2012 at 12:48 am

    Very cool!

    Holly

    Reply
  14. Lisa @ Flour Me With Love says

    May 13, 2012 at 12:03 am

    This is so neat…thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday πŸ™‚

    Reply
  15. Erin @ Chronic Christian Crafter says

    May 14, 2012 at 6:44 am

    This is very interesting and intricate. Just the patience and technique alone! Thanks so much for sharing with us @ Toot Your Horn Tuesdays. Looking forward to what you link up next!

    Erin

    Reply
  16. Printabelle says

    May 16, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Love it! I’d love for you to add it on my link party! Thanks!

    Reply
  17. Vix says

    April 29, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    That’s gorgeous! I’ve a heap of vintage wallpaper offcuts dying for a project! Thanks for sharing.x

    Reply
  18. Pam Klimper says

    April 29, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    Very cool project! Glad you figured it out!

    Reply
  19. Kim Vealey says

    April 29, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    This is cool…don’t know if I can handle it, though…my OCD says YES!!, my patience says NO!!, pinning just in case.
    Stopping by from Serendipity & Spice!

    Reply
  20. Ana Lopes says

    April 30, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    Amazing!
    Have a wonderful week!
    Hugs from Portugal,

    Ana Love Craft

    Reply
  21. BeBetsy says

    May 2, 2013 at 9:06 pm

    Really cool. Come by and share your links on our parties! Check them out on BeBetsy.com

    Thanks, love what you do! ~ Sharon and Denise

    Reply
  22. Marie bloominghomestead says

    May 6, 2013 at 3:05 am

    Oh wow, this is totally cool and blows my mind a little bit. I am going to have to try this with my son. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  23. Janine LaTulippe says

    May 6, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    This is beautiful! It would look cool hanging in a kids room too. I wonder if you could make really big ones? This is a stupid question, but where do I get chip board? Is it like plastic paper? Thanks for sharing! Pinned.

    Reply
    • Katie Adams says

      May 7, 2013 at 8:21 pm

      Chipboard is basically lighter cardboard. It is like th back piece of a notebook or a lot of times it is part of packaging like if you buy a pack of scrapbook paper. You can purchase sheets at most craft stores or you can just look around. You might have some lying around and not even realize it.

      Reply
  24. Katie Adams says

    February 20, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    Thank you for sharing how you made it work for you!

    Reply
  25. Nikkie says

    February 29, 2016 at 5:55 am

    Where did you buy the plastic

    Reply
    • Katie says

      February 29, 2016 at 8:08 am

      Nikkie – I didn’t make mine out of plastic, I made mine out of paper. The plastic one was my inspiration.

      Reply
  26. Mari says

    July 13, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    That’s amazing – thank you so much for this tutorial. I’m def gonna try it πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Katie says

      July 14, 2016 at 8:22 am

      You totally should Mari! It looks awesome when finished. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  27. Theresa Sundstrom says

    November 13, 2018 at 10:29 am

    This was a great project! Took me a bit to figure out connecting everything, but totally worth it. I made one using the template at 50%, out of card stock that I plan on turning into a fancy topiary. I also made one at 25% out of sturdy construction paper, looks like a large Christmas ornament. I’m going to try shrinking it a little more to see if I can make it the size for ornaments that I like, and use them as gifts. Cool project, good instructions. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      November 15, 2018 at 7:52 am

      Thank you, Theresa! A smaller ornament would be so cute!!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The Crafty Blog Stalker is a website filled with DIY Step by Step Craft Tutorial Ideas. You can make it and I can show you how!

The crafty Blog Stalker

Crafty Blog Stalker Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Modern Blogger Pro Theme By, Pretty Darn Cute Design

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies.OK, I Agree Reject Read More

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT