Ten Fun Things to Make With a One-Inch Craft Punch | Family Economics

By Cathe

I admit that as a professional crafter, I have a few more craft punches than the average person. Still, my number one go-to shape is a one-inch circle. There are so many things you can make using a simple circle shape whether clean-edge, scalloped edge, or starburst. You can punch anything from scrapbook paper, heavy gift-wrap and vintage memorabilia to newspaper, food packaging and junk mail.

Here are 10 of my favorite one-inch craft punch projects:

1.    Polka dot garland: Using a sewing machine standard stitch, sew multiple punched pieces together with a two to three inch gap between each or all butted together. Drape finished garland along the wall, from tree branches, or horizontally in strips from the ceiling or doorway.

2.    Jumbo confetti: Punch colorful paper into mounds of festive pieces to adorn party tables. Print fortunes on paper and punch out to add to the mix. Begin punching your children’s school papers before tossing, save up and use at their graduation party.

3.    Make mini party bunting by folding punched decorative paper circles in half and gluing over string or bakers twine. Suspend between two skewers tucked into a cake.

4.    Punch outdated hardware store paint swatches into multiple colored dots. Arrange in a grid and glue to paper to frame as contemporary art.

5.    Cut punched paper circles in half and glue side by side as scalloped trim around the edge of things like lamp shades, waste baskets, shelves, boxes and cans.

6.    Sandwich the top of a toothpick or small skewer between two circle punched papers to create cute cupcake toppers.

7.    Similar to the paint swatch project, punch faces from photographs, place together in a grid form and frame, or tack to the tiny twigs of a small branch placed into a vase.

8.    Print graphics to full-sheet label stock and punch out little stickers for sealing lunch sacks and envelopes. Use polka dot stickers to decorate plain wrapping-papered gifts.

9.    Punch the written pages of a discarded book and fill a dish. Toss lightly with a few drops of fragrant oil to create a potpourri.

10.    Create little plastic buttons for crafting by punching decorated shrinkable plastic. Punch smaller holes with a standard office supply hole punch. Bake to shrink.

What are your crafty ideas for using circle punches?