18" Doll Size Patriotic Pinwheel Craft

Our dolls are going to carry their very own red, white and blue, windmills in a 4th of July parade!

        Here is a simple and fun craft that you can make in only a matter of minutes for your favorite American Girl Doll. Using supplies you already have tucked away in a general craft supply at home follow the instructions below. Now your doll can have something to carry in a parade while you carry her!

One side of the pinwheel is solid red
paper, the other side is a red, white
 and blue star pattern.

 Craft Supplies:

• scissors 
• decorative patriotic scrapbook papers
• hole punch 
• double prong tooth picks
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• ruler
• tiny rubber bands (for display)
• white tacky glue
• pin or thumb tack (for pinwheels that move)
• left or right handed scissors (Match the correct scissors to the dominant hand of your child please.)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• First you will need to measure and cut four squares from scrapbook paper measuring three inches on all four sides.
• Two of the those squares may be a solid color and two should be patterned. We used red, white and blue to emphasize the fact that these paper windmills are for a 4th of July celebration.
• Glue two squares together with the alternate pattern and solid coupled as a pair.
• Now fold the paper squares from corner to corner in half.
• Then fold those triangle shapes from corner to corner in fourths
• Open up the squares and measure 1 1/2 inch from the centers out along the folded lines with a light pencil mark.
• Use your scissors to cut from each corner in up to the marking.
• Fold in every other corner, tip to center point and glue.
• Repeat this step four times.
• You should have a pinwheel shape.
• Punch out two centers using your hold punch and paste these to the center of each pinwheel.
• Now hot glue each of your pinwheels to a double prong tooth pick for your dolls to carry in a 4th of July parade. (This version doesn't spin)
• If you want your pinwheel to actually spin in a breeze, you can poke a pin through the center and then attach the pinwheel to a straw or pencil using a pin or thumb tack.

You can use a tiny rubber band to help hold the windmills in the palm of your doll's hand.