Coffee Filter Flowers are a fun patriotic kid’s craft and a great addition to your 4th of July picnic table centerpiece! So easy to make with materials you probably have lying around the house!
Why these are so fun to make
First of all, kids love making crafts that are simple. It creates a sense of accomplishment in a short period of time. These coffee filter flowers are not just for fun though! They’re useful as a holiday centerpiece and great for your picnic table.
You can mix and match the watercolor flowers to fit the theme of different parties or your everyday home decor. See a different color scheme idea in our coffee filter butterfly post for inspiration!
Supplies you will need
You can find the full printable instructions and supply list at the end of this post.
Crafting Tips
- Watercolor paint makes these super easy, but you could substitute food coloring if that’s what you have on hand.
- You can use any color pipe cleaners. We suggest patriotic colors like red, white, blue, silver, or gold.
- Have younger kids wear smocks or an oversized t-shirt, just in case!
How to make Coffee Filter Flowers
- Place one of the coffee filters onto the paper plate and flatten it out.
- Paint the coffee filter with watercolor paint. Paint some solid red, some solid blue, and others a combination of blue and red, leaving some areas unpainted.
- Move the coffee filter to the towel and lay flat to dry. Repeat with the second coffee filter.
- Leaving the center of the filter intact, cut the coffee filter in strips, working your way around the circle.
- Cut a 1.5″ piece off of one end of a pipe cleaner and set aside.
- Take the longer piece of the pipe cleaner and poke it through the center of the coffee filter. There should be about 2″ of pipe cleaner poked through.
- Turn the entire thing upside down and grasp the filter with your fingers.
- Gather it around the pipe cleaner and secure it by wrapping the extra piece of stem that you cut off in an earlier step. Twist it around the part you are holding and turn the flower back upright.
- Manipulate with your finger until strips are spread out and it looks the way you want it to.
This fun 4th of July craft is great for all age levels from kids to adults alike! Place them in jars to use as centerpieces or tie them to strings and hang them from trees, on the ceiling, or over a food table for parties.
More fun patriotic crafts
Print Project
Coffee Filter Flowers
This easy patriotic kid’s craft is made from supplies you likely have laying around already. Great for 4th of July, Memorial Day, and even Veteran’s Day!
Supplies
- basket coffee filters
- pipe cleaners red, white, blue, gold and/or silver
- red and blue watercolor paint
- paintbrush
- scissors
- 2 pieces of paper towel or a kitchen towel
Instructions
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Place one of the coffee filters onto the paper plate and flatten out.
-
Paint the coffee filter with watercolor paint. Paint some solid red, some solid blue, and others a combination of blue and red, leaving some areas unpainted.
-
Move the coffee filter to the towel and lay flat to dry. Repeat with the second coffee filter.
-
Leaving the center of the filter intact, cut the coffee filter in strips, working you way around the circle.
-
Cut a 1.5″ piece off of one end of a chenille stem and set aside.
-
Take the longer piece of chenille and poke it through the center of the coffee filter. There should be about 2″ of chenille poked through.
-
Turn the entire thing upside down and grasp the filter with your fingers.
-
Gather it around the chenille and secure it by wrapping the extra piece of chenille stem that you cut off in an earlier step. Twist it around the part you are holding and turn the flower back upright.
-
Manipulate with your finger until strips are spread out and it looks the way you want it to.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Watercolor paint makes these super easy, but you could substitute food coloring if that’s what you have on hand.
- You can use any color pipe cleaners. We suggest patriotic colors like red, white, blue, silver, or gold.
- Have younger kids wear smocks or an oversized t-shirt, just in case!
This post originally appeared here on Jun 27, 2010.
