Is it spring yet? I’ve been shopping for picnic supplies in anticipation, even though it’s still freezing here in San Francisco. This rainbow pinwheel backdrop reminds us of sunnier days to come — they even spin! Make them for an indoor picnic, or to welcome the spring equinox (March 20th)! Read on to see how we made them.

I absolutely love how huge an impact this wall makes, with so little effort! And the littles have such a blast giving them a spin! Feeling ambitious? Take a leaf from our Giant Rainbow Pinwheel post and add rainbow pinwheels to the mix!

Materials Needed: Canson Colorline paper (in rainbow colors – fuchsia, tomato, rose petal, canary, viridian, turquoise, and southern seas), pencil, ruler, x-acto knife, 1/4″ hole punch, 2-inch fasteners, paper straw, gaffers tape

Step 1: Cut a sheet of Canson Colorline paper into a square. We used widths of 15”, 19”, 25”, and 30”. For pinwheels larger than 19”, hot glue two sheets of paper together before cutting into a square.

Step 2: Use a ruler and pencil to draw diagonal lines between opposite corners and mark the midpoint.

Step 3: Starting from the corner, cut along a diagonal line with an x-acto knife until you reach halfway between the corner and midpoint, then cut another inch. Repeat for the other lines.

Step 4: Punch a hole in the every other corner for a total of 4 holes. Then poke a hole through the center point with a pencil.

Step 5: Align each corner hole with the center hole, then insert a 2” fastener. For better spinning, cut a paper straw to a ¼”, and insert behind the back of the pinwheel before bending the ends of the fastener outward to secure.

Step 6: Attach the pinwheel to the wall by taping the ends of the fastener to the wall with gaffers tape. Repeat for the rest of the pinwheels and you’re done!

Crafting by Justine Pon
Styling & Photography by Naomi Julia Satake