Kirigami Templates
Print a kirigami template and cut it from folded paper. There are 19 of our own designs in four kinds: 9 fold-and-cut designs (snowflakes with 6 or 8 points, a sunburst, a doily, a lattice window and a five-point star), four fold-in-half shapes (heart, butterfly, pine tree and leaf), two accordion chains (paper people and hearts) and 4 one-sheet pop-ups (a box, steps, a city and a castle) that stand up when the card opens. Every template prints at true size for a 15 cm, 6 in or 18 cm square, with solid cut lines, blue valley and red mountain fold lines, the cut-away parts shaded grey and the folding steps. Beside it is a preview of the unfolded result, worked out from the same cut lines, mirrored at every fold. Download a PDF, 300 DPI PNG or SVG. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size). Cut the solid lines; the grey parts are cut away. Fold blue dashed lines toward you and red dash-dot lines away from you.
Template
Paper
Runs in your browser with our own code and designs: nothing is uploaded and nothing is saved. The unfolded preview is worked out from the same cut lines you print, mirrored at every fold. The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to use the kirigami templates
- Pick a template, or print all of them or a chart of every design.
- Choose the size of your paper square (pop-ups print on a card-sized sheet).
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size) on US Letter or A4.
- Fold the paper as the steps say, put the centre or fold on the template, and cut the solid lines through all layers.
- Unfold and compare with the preview. For pop-ups, fold the card in half and open it to 90 degrees.
What you can use it for
- Winter window decorations and snowflakes
- Paper cutting lessons at school
- Pop-up cards for birthdays and thank-yous
- Garlands and paper chains for parties
- Learning how folds make symmetry
- Decorating cards and scrapbook pages
Kirigami templates
| Template | Kind | Layers | Cut-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic snowflake (6 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 12 | 4 windows per fold |
| Lace snowflake (6 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 12 | 7 windows per fold |
| Star snowflake (6 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 12 | 3 windows per fold |
| Fern snowflake (6 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 12 | 2 windows per fold |
| Snowflake (8 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 16 | 3 windows per fold |
| Sunburst (8 points) | Fold and cut (round) | 16 | 4 windows per fold |
| Doily (4 points, 8 layers) | Fold and cut (round) | 8 | 6 windows per fold |
| Lattice window (4 layers) | Fold and cut (round) | 4 | 9 windows per fold |
| Five-point star | Fold and cut (round) | 10 | 1 window per fold |
| Heart | Fold in half and cut | 2 | 2 windows per fold |
| Butterfly | Fold in half and cut | 2 | 3 windows per fold |
| Pine tree | Fold in half and cut | 2 | 3 windows per fold |
| Leaf | Fold in half and cut | 2 | 3 windows per fold |
| Paper people chain | Accordion chain | 4 | 0 windows per fold |
| Heart garland | Accordion chain | 4 | 0 windows per fold |
| Pop-up box | Pop-up (one sheet) | 1 (card) | 1 piece |
| Pop-up steps | Pop-up (one sheet) | 1 (card) | 4 pieces |
| Pop-up city | Pop-up (one sheet) | 1 (card) | 5 pieces |
| Pop-up castle | Pop-up (one sheet) | 1 (card) | 3 pieces |
Cut-outs count the windows on one folded layer; unfolding repeats them on every layer.
Folds for round designs
| Layers | Fold | Points or repeats |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | In half, then in half again | 4 |
| 8 | In half twice, then diagonally | 8 |
| 10 | In half, then into five 36-degree parts | 5 points |
| 12 | Into a triangle, then thirds at 60 degrees, then in half | 6 points |
| 16 | In half twice, then diagonally twice | 8 points |
Pop-up sizes
| Pop-up | Pieces: width × height × depth (mm) | Deepest reach when closed |
|---|---|---|
| Pop-up box | 50 × 35 × 30 | 65 mm |
| Pop-up steps | 26 × 18 × 20; 26 × 30 × 24; 26 × 42 × 28; 22 × 54 × 32 | 86 mm |
| Pop-up city | 22 × 50 × 18; 24 × 34 × 26; 16 × 62 × 14; 22 × 42 × 22; 16 × 26 × 30 | 76 mm |
| Pop-up castle | 20 × 58 × 22; 52 × 36 × 30; 20 × 58 × 22 | 80 mm |
The card is 140 × 200 mm and folds to 140 × 100 mm. Every piece is a parallelogram: the front is as tall as the top is deep, so it closes flat inside the card; the tool checks this at every angle from 5 to 175 degrees.
What prints on the page
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Template | True size, with cut lines, fold lines and the grey parts to cut away |
| Centre dot | Round designs: where all the folds meet |
| Unfolded preview | The design opened out, or the pop-up at 90 degrees |
| Steps | How to fold the paper before you cut |
More paper cutting
Make random snowflakes with the Paper Snowflake Template, hang them on a line with the Bunting Template, fold a Paper Lantern or a Paper Crown, or cut a card front for the Christmas Card Template.
More free tools
More paper cutting and folding?
Paper craft templates that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What is kirigami?
Kirigami is paper folding with cuts. The paper is folded, cut and unfolded, or cut and folded so parts stand up, as in a pop-up card. Usually no glue is needed.
What is the difference between kirigami and origami?
Origami uses folds only, from one uncut square. Kirigami adds cuts: a folded snowflake, a paper chain or a pop-up are all kirigami.
What do the lines mean?
Solid black lines are cuts. Blue dashed lines are valley folds (fold toward you) and red dash-dot lines are mountain folds (fold away from you). The grey parts are cut away.
How many layers do I fold?
It depends on the design: 2 layers for a heart or butterfly, 4 for the lattice, 8 for the doily, 10 for the five-point star, 12 for a six-point snowflake and 16 for an eight-point one. Each template states it.
How do I fold a six-point snowflake?
Fold the square in half to a triangle, mark the middle of the long folded edge, fold the two sides across at 60 degrees so the edges line up, then fold in half again. Put the centre at the point of the template and cut.
How do the pop-ups work?
Each piece is cut on two lines across the middle fold and folded so its front stands up when the card opens. The front face is as tall as the piece is deep on the floor, so the card always closes flat; the tool checks every piece at every angle.
Will the unfolded snowflake look like the preview?
Yes, if the paper is folded as the steps say and the centre sits at the point of the template. The preview is the template mirrored at every fold.
Is it safe for children?
Children can cut the snowflakes, shapes and chains with safety scissors. The windows in the pop-ups are easier with a craft knife, which a grown-up should use.
Can I use the templates for things I sell?
Yes. The designs are our own and you may use them and anything you make with them without giving credit. The note under the tool gives the full terms.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device, and nothing is saved when you close the page.