How to Make a Paper Valentine Heart Garland

by Jane Lake

Here’s how to make a traditional folded paper heart garland for Valentine’s Day. Because you fold the paper hearts like a fan, or an accordian, you can easily tuck this pretty garland inside a Valentine card as a surprise gift for that special someone.

Paper Heart Garland – Craft Supplies:

» construction paper, scrapbook paper, gift wrap or wallpaper
» heart shaped template (print our folded heart template, or draw your own)
» pencil
» scissors
» transparent tape

Paper Heart Garland – Craft Instructions:

Print and cut out a heart-shaped template,, or draw your own on a piece of stiff paper.

Fold a piece of paper like an accordion, or a fan, making each fold the same width as your heart template. You can see how the paper should be folded in our diagram, at right.

Place the folded paper on the table, and set the heart template on top of it, as shown here. The flattened sections of the heart shape should be placed against the folds on the left and the right sides of the paper.

If you have drawn your own heart shape without flattened sides, place the heart shape on the paper so that the edges overlap the sides of the paper just a little at the top.

Trace around the heart shape, then carefully cut it out around the bottom point, and around the curves at the top, leaving the flattened edges on each side uncut.

When you open out the folded hearts, they should look like the Valentine garland in the photo. But maybe your garland isn’t as long as you would like it to be. Make another one in the same way then use a little transparent tape to join the two garlands together.

Keep adding sections of paper hearts until your folded paper hearts garland is the desired length.