Making it More Beautiful

The paper lantern can be made much more pretty by adding several designs and pictures on the paper. It can also be made attractive by using the glitter and sequins. Traditional lanterns are adorned with bells and ribbons. Experiment with stickers or pre-cut decorations that can be glued onto the lantern, improving your first version of the same lantern. Use several papers of different colours to bring about a multicoloured look in the light emitted by the paper lantern. These are just some of the ways in which you can make your lantern prettier.

Further Assistance

After the folding is completed, staple the handle that was created at the beginning and staple it to the bottom of the edges. Now you can place a candle or a battery operated bulb inside the lantern and enjoy it filling your house with its beautiful radiance. A number of such paper lanterns can be made and hung up in the house. This will make the environment and surrounding of the house a much better place to live in. This is the most simple of the paper lanterns. There are other paper lanterns which are done on large scale using several other materials.

How to Make Them

1. Use the ruler to measure one inch of the short side of the paper and cut it. Set this part aside as this will be used as the handle for the lantern.
2. Fold the paper in half along its length. Draw a line one inch from the edges of the longer side of the paper.
3. Now cut along the marked lines and unfold the paper. Re-fold the paper in the opposite direction to hide the markings.
4. Now roll the paper so that the two ends match the two long edges of the paper and staple them together.

Materials

A paper lantern can be made using any materials you have at home or you may want to go out and buy something you really like. Your shopping depends on what kind of lantern you want to make as well as the size of the final product. Basically the materials needed to make any paper lantern are paper, glue, paper clips, scissors, a cutter, sellotape and a stapler. Intricate designs will need several more materials depending upon the type of paper lantern that you wish to produce. To make the lantern more attractive you may opt for glitter, sequins and other decorative materials.

Starting a Paper Lantern

Paper lanterns have been in use for a very long time. They are used at various festivals and occasions in many countries around the world. These paper lanterns are easy to make and can be made from different materials. Lanterns can be made in different shapes and sizes. To start making a paper lantern, you must have an idea of the design, shape, size and colour you want your lantern to have. Browse the Internet to find some easy designs as some websites will give you ready made patterns to download and use.