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Papel Picado Maker

Fold it, cut it, hang it. Design your own Día de los Muertos banner online, then print a free template and cut it from real tissue paper.

Start from a design

Fold

Bottom edge

Border

2 Cut the folded paper

3 Unfold & hang it

Idea: a dog-bone banner for your pet

Many families give their pets a place on the ofrenda, often on October 27. Start from the bone template and use it three ways.

Dog-bone papel picado hanging above a pet memorial shelf with a collar, a bowl and marigolds
Over a pet ofrendaHang a string above the collar, the bowl and the photo.
Dog-bone papel picado strung across a sunny patio
At a dog’s birthday partyThe same design works for happy days too.
Sheet of dog-bone papel picado stickers in seven colors
As stickersPrint the sticker sheet for cards, the treat jar or a scrapbook.

Open the bone design PDF Make a pet memorial card

Free papel picado templates

Not ready to design your own? Start from one of these printable templates. Each one comes as a free PDF with cutting instructions, and you can open any of them in the maker to change shapes or colors.

Sugar Skull papel picado designSugar SkullMedium · Folded in halfMarigold (Cempasúchil) papel picado designMarigold (Cempasúchil)Medium · Folded in halfMonarch Butterfly papel picado designMonarch ButterflyMedium · Folded in halfFlowers papel picado designFlowersMedium · Folded in halfHearts papel picado designHeartsEasy · Folded in quartersSun and Stars papel picado designSun and StarsEasy · Folded in quartersEasy (for Kids) papel picado designEasy (for Kids)Easy · Folded in quartersPet Paw papel picado designPet PawEasy · Folded in halfDog Bone papel picado designDog BoneEasy · Folded in halfCat papel picado designCatEasy · Folded in half

How it works

  1. Cut the folded paper. Punch shapes, draw with the scissors tool or start from a template. Every cut is mirrored, just like real folded paper.
  2. Unfold and hang it. See your sheet as a single piece, a string of banners, or at night by candlelight.
  3. Print and cut. Print the cutting template on letter paper, stack tissue behind it, fold and cut away the gray areas.

New to paper cutting? Read the step-by-step guide to making papel picado, or learn what papel picado means and why it hangs over every ofrenda.

More ways to use your design

Pet ofrenda

Make a memorial card and a paw-print banner for a pet you miss.

Classroom craft

A ready-to-teach lesson with a free class pack of templates.

Stickers

Print a sheet of mini papel picado on sticker paper for cards and journals.

Fiestas all year

Papel picado also decorates Cinco de Mayo parties, birthdays, weddings and posadas.

Questions

Is the maker free?

Yes. There is no sign-up and nothing to install. Your design is saved in your own browser.

What paper should I use?

Tissue paper is traditional and lets light through. Construction or copy paper is sturdier for kids, and plastic tablecloth sheets last outdoors.

Why do I need “bridges”?

Every piece of paper has to stay connected to the rest of the sheet. If a shape is completely surrounded by cuts, it falls out. Turn on “Add paper back” to draw thin strips that hold it in place.

Can I use it with a Cricut or laser cutter?

You can download your design as an SVG. Cutting machines need plain outlines, so you may have to flatten it in your design software first.