DIY Paddle Fans

Supplies needed for fan assembly:
• Hot Glue

Optional Supplies:
• Ribbon
• Hole punch
• Corner Rounder

Not necessary, but nice to have: Helpers!

The Fan Paddle

Paper Type
Cardstock is an ideal weight for the fan's paddle. Use at least an 80# stock. Do a test with your desktop printer first, to confirm that it can handle a heavy stock (otherwise you'll be fixing constant paper jams).

Printing on Paper
Keep in mind the finish of the cardstock as well as the weight. A "linen" texture will print nicely on an ink jet printer, but sometimes not as well on a laser, especially when there are blocks of solid color (the laser toner floats on the surface, whereas the ink is absorbed into the paper with an ink jet).

Metallic Papers
The hot new metallic papers look great for fans, however, you'll get the nicest print with a laser printer or with digital printing. Because there is a coating on this type of paper, ink will not be completely absorbed, possibly resulting in blurred edges.

Creating your Fan

1) Determine a size for the paddle (paper) portion. Size can range from 5-1/2" square to 7-1/2" square. If you are printing onto your fan, use a 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock. Print your design/information, then trim the sheet down to size.

2) For a double-sided fan, you'll be printing on the SAME side of the paper, then folding it in half...one "side" will appear upside down on the same sheet before folding. Use a scoring blade for a nice clean fold. The finished fan size will be approx. 5=1/2 square.

3) If you plan to incorporate a ribbon/bow, punch two holes into the cardstock at the bottom edge (about a half inch up from the bottom). Make sure the handle will fit between these two holes

4) Hot glue one side of the wooden handle – but only halfway down. Adhere to the back of a single-sided fan. For a double-sided fan, sandwich the handle on the inside of the folded fan, between the ribbon holes. The middle contour of the handle is a good guide to use for where the paddle's bottom should align.

5) For double-sided: Draw a bead of hot glue around the perimeter of the fan’s inside–you don’t need to use too use much. To avoid glue seepage, do not glue right on the edge of the cardstock. Press fan folds together. Be sure that the top corners are glued shut.

6) Once dry, thread pre-cut ribbon (approx. 25" in length if using satin ribbon, less for sheer organza) through holes. Create simple bow by tying a knot first, then a bow (for some reason, I find it helpful to tie the bow with the fan upside down, with the handle facing away from me). Trim tails with a fabric scissor or pinking shears.

7) Round the top corners with a scrapbook 'corner rounder' punch, or better yet, take the fans down to your local quick printer to see if they can expedite this with an industrial corner rounder for a small fee (call first). The scrapbook punches are sometimes challenging to use with cardstock, especially with two layers, as with a double-sided fan.

Finished! You now have a charming momento of your special event, which is also informational should it serve as a program and most importantly, practical, helping your guests "keep their cool!"