Giant 4th of July double layer Rosettes--an easy DIY

Well, maybe not giant, but still quite large--about two foot across, depending on how you adjust your makings.

What I used:
regular sized construction paper in red and blue, seven pieces of each color
white cardstock
Tacky Glue
scissors and a paper cutter (paper cutter optional)
clothespins for clamps (optional, but highly recommended)
needle and thread
magazines for weights
Altered Pages collage image for center of star (optional)
hole punch and string for hanging

1.  Accordion fold 7 pieces of the background color papers along the long side of the papers--in this case, the red.  No, they don't have to be perfect, so don't stress about getting all the folds exactly the same width.  Approximately the same width is absolutely fine.

1.  Accordion fold 7 pieces of background color

2.  Snip the ends on each folded piece, while it is folded, into a point.  Again, they don't all have to be perfectly the same.

2.  Snip ends of folded papers

3.  Trip about 1 inch off the long sides of the blue papers--or whatever your top rosette color may be--and repeat with the blue pieces steps one and two.

4.  Overlap the ends of each piece of red, gluing as you go with the Tacky Glue, and clamping the glued sections together with the clothespins.  I just folded up and clamped several sections at a time.  Be careful not to use too much glue, or it will seep out and you'll end up with EVERYTHING stuck together!  You don't have to clamp, but I find it goes much faster and easier with the clothespins. 

4.  Glue sections of folded papers together, clamp with clothespins

You may need to trim any extra long edges as you glue, or clip the points where they overlap to tidy things up a bit.  There is no need to wait until the glue is completely dry.  You will eventually need to glue the two ends of the folded papers into a circle, which will result in this:

5.  Repeat Step 4 for the blues.

6.  For the red section--cut a piece of cardstock (I used white) quite a bit larger than the hole in the center of the rosette, but not so large it hangs out the sides.

Outline the edges of the square with glue, but not where it will fall through the hole.  Lay the glue side down on top of the rosette, and weight it down with magazine, like this:

White cardstock under the magazine, waiting for glue to dry somewhat.

7.  While that is drying a little, get your needle and thread, and stitch the center of the blue rosette together, like this:

7.  Step seven--stitching the center of the blue rosette

7.  Step seven, cont'd--tie the tails of the thread together

After stitching through all the folds, tie the tails of the thread together in a square knot.  Don't pull so tightly that you tear the paper!

8.  Now, repeat Step 6 (white cardstock in the center) with the blue rosette, and allow to dry for a few minutes.

9.  The white cardstock is the back section of each rosette.  Face the back of the red rosette down on your work surface.  Add a layer of glue to the cardstock on the back of the blue rosette, and lay the glue side down on top of the red rosette.  Weight this down with a magazine.

10.  (This step is completely optional)  Cut a star for the center of the blue rosette, and a collage image if desired--you can add this and allow it to dry at the same time the two rosettes are drying together.  Allow all of this to set overnight to dry thoroughly.  The dried glue on the backs of the cardstock really firm up the rosettes, making them easy to hang.

11.  After everything is dry, grasp the back of the white cardstock (the one glued on the red rosette) and let it hang loosely from your fingers, to determine where to punch the hole for hanging.  If you don't add anything to the center of the top (blue) rosette, the directionality of the hang isn't an issue.

11,  Step 11--punch a hole and add a string to the back for hanging.

See--these are almost two feet wide!  You can always make them smaller, by trimming the papers, and of course you don't have to make double layers.  Try making them with patterned papers, with diecuts in the centers, using papers from books, or even a triple layered rosette.  Oooh, I'm going to have to try that! 

Have a happy and safe Independence Day!