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–+ servings
coffee filter butterflies
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Coffee Filter Butterflies

Make colorful butterflies using inexpensive supplies and bright washable markers. This easy craft is perfect 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

  • Scissors
  • Spray bottle or eye dropper or spoon
  • Hair dryer (optional)

Ingredients

  • 2 Coffee filters per butterfly
  • Washable markers spring colors
  • 1 Pipe cleaner(s) per butterfly
  • Wax paper or a cookie sheet

Instructions

  • Choose four colors of washable markers 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, navy, 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. Leave a little bit of white space between shades so the colors don’t turn muddy (like in my tutorial photo).
    Drawing blue circles on the coffee filter
  • With the remaining two markers, add additional creative designs at random to the inside of the other lines on the coffee filter.
    filters covered with colorful marker drawings
  • Place the filters onto a cookie sheet or wax paper. Use a spray bottle, eye dropper, or spoon to drip water onto the filters gently. Don't add too much water.
    Spraying the filter and marker with a water bottle
  • Allow the filters to dry completely. If needed, place baking sheets outside in the sun or use a hair dryer carefully.
  • Place the filter on your work surface. Fold the filter accordion style 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 folded strips and place them together, sandwiching between your fingers.
    Holding two folded coffee filters together
  • Fold a pipe cleaner into the big letter V. Curl the end of each pipe cleaner outward into a small spiral to form the antennae.
    Pipe cleaner wrapped around two coffee filters and bent into antennae
  • Gently pull apart the folds to shape the butterfly wings and fluff the layers evenly. Repeat with the other wings.
    Opening the wings of the butterfly to fluff them

Video

Notes

My second batch of butterflies turned out much brighter because I colored more of the entire coffee filter before adding water. I left just enough white space for the colors to bleed! One butterfly made with dark marker ended up looking a little muddy after drying — still pretty, just dramatically moodier than expected.