Make a paper pinwheel in just minutes with this free pinwheel template! This easy printable pinwheel craft is so easy to make: just print, cut, and fold (or use the free SVG file in your Cricut!)
Paper pinwheels are the perfect thing for summer; they’re so much fun when the weather is nice! You can set them up on a porch or in a window box to brighten up your view. And pinwheels are easy to make, so you can have the kids help you make a bunch for a block party or barbecue to keep them entertained! Today I’m going to show you how to make a simple pinwheel with just a square of colored paper!
You can use this easy pinwheel template to make pinwheels out of any paper you have laying around the house, or you can make pinwheels with a Cricut or other cutting machine using the free pinwheel SVG file. Both the printable template and SVG file are available for free at the bottom of this post.
How To Make A Pinwheel
These pinwheels will take you less than five minutes to make, and you can make them in any color you want, or print out the patterned pinwheel templates to make your own fun patterned pinwheels.
Tools You Need To Make A Pinwheel
- hot glue gun
- Cricut cutting machine (or scissors, an X-acto knife, etc.)
Pinwheel Materials
- colored paper
- bamboo skewers
- thumbtacks
- small beads
- easy pinwheel template (download the pinwheel SVG file or printable template at the bottom of this post)
How To Make Pinwheels With A Cricut
Before you start cutting out the pinwheel, stick the non-pointy end of the bamboo skewers into a small glass of water. Once the skewers soak up some water, it will be easier to push the thumbtack into the skewer to attach the pinwheel, and the wood won’t splinter.
While the skewers are soaking, use your Cricut to cut out the pinwheel template from a piece of paper. Start by opening Cricut Design Space and uploading the free pinwheel SVG file to a blank project. Here are step by step instructions on how to upload your own SVG file to Cricut Design Space if you need them.
You can resize the pinwheel template by clicking on it and then changing one of the Size dimensions in the menu at the top. Be sure that the aspect ratio is locked so that the whole thing stays square (if the little lock icon above the Size fields is open, just click it once to lock it again.) You can also duplicate the shape if you want to cut out multiple pinwheels all at once.
Click the big green Make It button at the top right of your screen.
If the preview looks good, click Continue. Select the material you are planning to use, and then follow the on-screen instructions for loading the correct blade into your machine and loading the cutting mat into the machine. Once the mat is loaded, press the flashing Go button to begin the cut.
Unload the mat when the machine is finished, and carefully peel the cut out pinwheel templates off the mat.
Assembling The Pinwheels
If you want to cut the pinwheel template out by hand, carefully cut along the dotted lines, and poke holes using a thumbtack where indicated on the template.
Gather your cut out pinwheel templates, the bamboo skewers, thumbtacks, and small beads.
Take one spoke of the pinwheel and push the thumbtack through the hole from the back. Bend the next spoke over and push the thumbtack through the hole on that spoke as well.
Continue pushing the thumbtack through each individual spoke until the thumbtack is through all four spokes.
Push the thumbtack through the hole in the center of the pinwheel, then slide the small bead onto the thumbtack at the back of the pinwheel.
Then push the thumbtack into the wet end of the skewer. If you need to, you can gently tap the front of the thumbtack with a hammer. Keep pushing the thumbtack into the skewer until the skewer touches the small bead on the thumbtack.
Soaking the skewer in water should keep the wood from splitting at this point, but if your skewer does split, don’t worry! Just add a small dab of hot glue to make sure the thumbtack stays in place.
Be sure not to cover the bead with glue! The bead helps space the pinwheel away from the skewer, allowing the pinwheel spin freely without getting caught on the skewer as it turns.
And now you know how to make a pinwheel!
This pinwheel pattern makes it super easy to make pinwheels in any size or color: perfect for 4th of July, birthday parties, and more!
Free Printable Pinwheel Template and SVG File
How To Make A Pinwheel [+ free printable template!]
Materials
- 1 sheet colored paper
- 1 bamboo skewer
- 1 small bead
- 1 thumbtack
- 1 pinwheel template (available for download on this post)
Instructions
How to make pinwheels with a Cricut
- Stick the non-pointy end of the bamboo skewers into a small glass of water to soften them.
- Open Design Space and upload the pinwheel svg file.
- Resize or duplicate the shape as needed, then click the green Make It button.
- Preview the mat and click Continue if everything looks good. Set the material and follow the on-screen instructions to load the correct blade and load the cutting mat into the machine.
- Once the mat is loaded, press the flashing Go button to begin the cut. When the cut is finished, carefully peel the cut out pinwheel off the cutting mat.
Assembling the pinwheels
- Take one spoke of the pinwheel and push the thumbtack through the hole from the back. Bend the next spoke over and push the thumbtack through the hole on that spoke as well.
- Continue pushing the thumbtack through each individual spoke until the thumbtack is through all four spokes. Push the thumbtack through the hole in the center of the pinwheel, then slide the small bead onto the thumbtack at the back of the pinwheel.
- Then push the thumbtack into the wet end of the skewer. If you need to, you can gently tap the front of the thumbtack with a hammer. Keep pushing the thumbtack into the skewer until the skewer touches the small bead on the thumbtack.
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CArol sharritts says
I need a lot of pinwheels to put in my yard. My yard has been torn up by moles or voles. My pest company said they don’t like vibrations like from pinwheels , so I am willing to try it. Making them will be. mucH more economical..
Thank you for the te,mplate and instructions,
Carol
Michele @ Our Rosey Life says
My Girlies would love these pinwheels! The little bead between the tack and the pinwheel is genius. It would be cute to make these in miniature as cupcake toppers too. Ohhhh… the endless possibilities!
Karen Marie Kedzuch says
Jessi,
I have always loved Pinwheels. Thanks for sharing the way to make them at home.
SC Love,
Karen Marie
Dragonfly & Lily Pads
Kim (TheKimSixFix) says
These would be so fun to make with the kids!
Emily @ My Mom Made That says
Perfect timing! I need to make pinwheels this week. Thanks for the cut file!
Kelly Hedgespeth of Simply Kelly Designs says
Love the pinwheels! I think they would be fun to dress up the garden with.
Melanie says
I like making pinwheels! Thanks for the tutorial!
Trisha D. says
I totally see these used at parades this year, what a great way to stand out in the crowd with something homemade. Perfect tutorial, especially loved the tip on letting the skewers soak in water for a bit.
Hopping through all the drool-worthy silhouette projects is totally my favorite part of Silhouette Challenge day!! Off to go pin away!!
Rachel @ Architecture of a Mom says
I love pinwheels! What a great idea!