I’ve been wanting to make my own Papel Picado templates for a while (ever since I learned that day!) and finally I am able to share some today.

I was working on them these days and had some sample tryouts cut out of bond paper when the kids saw them they immediately wanted to play with the scissors and cut their own, so I let them. The result was great! Adrian was able to actually make some cute ones so I realized how I can have easy templates that even kids can cut and hard ones that more experienced adults can make.

In this post, you can download three Papel Picado templates: an easy, medium and advanced difficulty one.

The one pictured on the cover and in the step-by-step instructions is the easy one and Adrian designed it, so it’s guaranteed that kids can do it! I just grabbed his paper and traced it and redid it for the photos. It just shows how easy it is to make Papel Picado, any shapes can work!

Table of Contents

Here is the step-by-step for how to make a Papel Picado Banner:

What you will need:

Colorful tissue paper
Craft glue
Paper clips or staples
Scissors
Cord
Template

Instructions:

Cut the template leaving about 1/2 an inch around it except on the folded side.
Cut the tissue paper approximately to measure double the size of the template you are using.
Grab about 4 tissue papers together and then fold them in half.
Place the template on top of the tissues making sure that the folded side of them is aligned with the border of the template that says “folded side”.
Attach paper clips in several areas. (You can also use staples on areas you know that will come out)
Cut your Papel Picado! For some of the inner shapes, you can fold the whole thing where the shape is and cut. Take away clips when you need to, making sure that you hold the tissues and template all together until the end.
Open up the cut-out Papel Picado and fold the top part down, this is for the cord.
Separate them and open up the top, place the cord inside and apply glue. Do this with all of them.
Fold-down and let it dry.
Hang your banner!

The Papel Picado banner is a big symbol of Día de los Muertos. Instead of hanging it you can also make the Papel Picado by itself without the cord and use them to place them on your altar, kind of like a tablecloth, it will look very nice too! I think I am going to do that this year.

Scroll down to download the templates.

**UPDATE**: Many of you have asked if I have these already made for sale or for weddings. I don’t sell them but here is a partial list where you can also find some Papel Picado to buy online, hope you find what you’re looking for!!:

Medium Mexican Papel Picado // Mexican Tissue Papel Picado // Wedding Papel Picado // Fiesta Banner // Baby Papel Picado Banner // Gender Reveal Papel Picado// Fiesta Papel Picado Banner