Spell it out
Papel picado banner letters: one cut-out letter per flag
Make a printable papel picado banner: type a name or phrase up to 24 characters, get one cut-out letter per flag, and print one or two per page or save the SVG.
Designs are generated in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded or saved. Print at 100% or “actual size” and check the 1-inch bar with a ruler. An adult should handle craft knives, and young children should cut with blunt-tip scissors.
How to make a papel picado letter banner
Type a name or phrase, and the tool makes one flag for each character with a cut-out border, a string hem and the letter cut through the middle. Pick one or two flags per page, print at 100%, and tape each page over folded tissue paper. Cut the black letter and border, then fold the hem over a string.
- A space makes a blank flag, useful as a gap between words.
- Two flags per page needs flags 3.4 inches wide or less, or 4.15 inches tall or less.
- Letters keep small bridges of paper so closed letters like O, A and 8 do not fall out.
Ideas for banner text
A name, a short greeting such as FIESTA, or a phrase such as FELIZ DÍA. Accents are supported for Á, É, Í, Ó and Ú, plus Ñ and Ü. A space counts as a flag, and a phrase has to fit in 24 flags, so plan the space: 24 flags that are 7 inches wide take about 14 feet when hung edge to edge.
Common questions
How many letters can the banner have?
Up to 24 characters, including spaces. Each character becomes one flag, and a space becomes a blank flag with only the border.
Can it make letters with accents?
Yes: Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú, Ñ and Ü. Other symbols and punctuation are not supported, because the lettering is a fixed stencil-style alphabet.
Why are the flags on separate pages?
So each page prints at actual size. Download a page as SVG, or print all pages and cut them one at a time.
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
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