Coffee Filter Crafts: How to Make a Butterfly

A paper towel roll, torn paper towel sheet, coffee filter, pipe cleaner, and various colored markers are arranged on a dark wooden table. A small blue spray bottle is positioned to the right of the markers.

Spring is finally in the air, and soon enough we’ll be welcoming back the area’s butterflies while watching them flutter across our yards. In the meantime, check out this easy, do-it-yourself butterfly craft idea that can serve as a great reminder of what’s to come. The kids will love making it, and parents will love that it’s (relatively) mess-free. Plus, the supplies are probably already laying around the house, ready to go.

What are you waiting for? Gather up your materials and get crafting!

Materials Needed to Make the Coffee Filter Butterfly

    • Coffee filters
    • Washable markers
    • Spray bottle filled with water
    • Towel
    • Pipe cleaners

coffee_filter_butterfly_materials

Directions to Make the Coffee Filter Butterfly

Follow the directions below to make your coffee filter butterly. There are also more-detailed photos below labeling the steps.

    1. Color your coffee filter with marker(s). This is going to be the butterfly’s wings.
    2. Spritz water on the coffee filter. Make sure to do this on a towel.
    3. Let your butterfly’s wings dry for about five minutes.
    4. Pinch your coffee filter in the middle and wrap a pipe cleaner around this spot to create the butterfly’s body and antennae.
    5. Hang your butterfly in a window and let the sunlight make the wings shine, or glue a magnet to the back of your coffee filter butterfly and display it on the fridge.

    color_coffee_filter

    1. Color coffee filter however you’d like with marker. This is going to be the butterfly’s wings.

    spray_coffee_filter_with_water

    2. Spritz water on the coffee filter. Make sure to do this on a towel.

    pinch_coffee_filter_in_center

    3. Once the butterfly’s wings are dry, pinch your coffee filter in the middle.

    A close-up of a hand with painted nails holding a purple pipe cleaner, forming a loop. The background is a wooden surface.

    4. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the pinched center of the coffee filter to create the butterfly’s body and antennae.

    finished_coffee_filter_butterfly

    Congratulations! You’ve completed your butterfly. Now hang your butterfly in a window and let the sunlight make the wings shine, or glue a magnet to the back of your coffee filter butterfly and display it on the fridge.

    Don’t forget to share a photo of your craft with us on our Facebook page!

    Share:

    About The Author

    Joe Dingwall

    Joe Dingwall is the president of Catseye Pest Control, a family-owned business that has been delivering quality pest control solutions to properties across the Northeast since 1987. With almost a decade of experience in the pest control industry, Joe is an expert in delivering effective pest and nuisance wildlife management solutions for homes and businesses.