Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
coffee filter butterflies
Print

Coffee Filter Butterflies

Make these cute butterflies out of coffee filters using inexpensive supplies! Kids will love to make these for spring or summer.
Course Kids Crafts
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 butterflies
Cost $1

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 Coffee filters per butterfly
  • Washable markers - spring colors
  • 1 Pipe cleaner(s) per butterfly
  • Small spray bottle of water
  • Wax paper optional

Instructions

  • Choose four colors that you would like to use for your butterfly. Picking a variety of colors that are different shades (light and dark) makes for the best results.
    Coffee filter and colorful markers
  • Start with a magenta or similar dark shade of marker. Draw a circle around the edge of the coffee filter.
    Drawing a magenta circle aroun dthe outside of the coffee filter
  • Take a contrasting color marker and draw some circles around the coffee filter on the inside of the line.
    Drawing blue circles on the coffee filter
  • With the remaining two markers, add additional lines and shapes at random to the inside of the other lines on the coffee filter. No need to add too much ink. All the colors will bleed into each other.
    filters covered with colorful marker drawings
  • Place the coffee filter down on a washable work surface. You can use a craft mat, silicone mat, or wax paper. Mist the paper with 4 – 5 sprays of water and you will start to see the markers bleed. This is what you want.
    Spraying the filter and marker with a water bottle
  • Leave the coffee filter on your work surface to dry. Additionally, you can take a hairdryer and dry the filter, or place in the oven for a few minutes at the lowest heat (watching the entire time).
  • Place the filter on your work surface. Accordion fold the filter by folding about 1/4" up on the end. Flip over and fold another 1/4". Repeat until the filter is completely folded. Repeat with a second filter.
    Accordion folding the coffee filter
  • Take the two coffee filters and place them together, sandwiching between your fingers.
    Holding two folded coffee filters together
  • Bend a pipe cleaner in half. Wrap around the center of the pinched filters and twist. Then twist the ends of the pipe cleaner into curved antennae.
    Pipe cleaner wrapped around two coffee filters and bent into antennae
  • To turn your project into a butterfly, fluff the wings by pulling them apart at the base a bit. Repeat with the other wings.
    Opening the wings of the butterfly to fluff them
  • Repeat the same process with additional marker and pipe cleaner colors.
    coffee filter butterflies

Video