Introduction: Large Cardboard Candy Canes
The size of your finished project will be determined by the size of the cardboard core you use.
To create the illustrations for this instructable, I used 6 toilet paper cores. The larger canes showed in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th photos were made from the large cores that flooring comes on. The ones that flank my front steps were made from 12 foot cores, the medium size from a 6 foot length. We retrieved these cores from a neighbors dumpster when they were renovating, but I suspect your local flooring store would have some available.
Step 1: Supplies
Cutting tools:
Jig/skill saw (if making cane from flooring cores) -a saws/all works really well- or
Electric Kitchen knife (for gift wrap cores)
And Craft Knife, Scissors
Cores
Toilet paper (6+), or
paper towel (2), or
gift wrap (1 or 2 depending on length), or
mailing tubes (2 possibly 3), or
flooring cores (1 or ½ of 1)
Glue (if combining cores to increase length)
Paper for template
Staple gun (if working on a flooring sized core) Staple the ribbon in place at top and bottom
Tape use to temporally hold template together to assess curve of crook
White tape or white adhesive backed vinyl cut into strips to create the white part of the cane
Redribbon for stripes
Other ribbon for decorative bow
Step 2: Piece Your Cores Together
Select your core based on availability and size desired for finished cane.
For these directions I selected 6 toilet paper cores. This created a candy cane that was 15" tall
Take 1 tube and split it lengthwise.
Slice into 4 parts
Place glue on 1/2 of the part and insert partway into first tube creating an inner collar
Do this for all but 1 of your remaining cores
Allow to dry
Assemble into 1 long tube by gluing inner collar into the base of next core
Allow to dry
Step 3: Create a Paper Template to Use to Cut the Crook of the Cane
Cut a rectangle the width of the core diameter and the same length
cut notches near the top where the cane should curve
fold paper and tack with tape to close notches, and assess...
remove tape and cut more notches if needed.
when strip mimics the curve you are seeking, lay the paper out flat. This is the template you will use to cut the core.
Step 4: Use Template to Mark Core
tape template to the core and mark
flip template over and mark other side
draw lines across the 2 sides
Step 5: Cut Core to Form Curve
Use a cutting tool to cut out wedges. I used an electric kitchen knife.
Periodically bent core up to check the curve. Remove additional material, or cut additional wedges to form the shape you want.
Step 6: Seal Off Bottom and Top
set core down on a piece of white tape.
Slice outer edge into strips and fold them onto the core
Step 7: Start Wrapping the Core
Wrap white tape diagonally around and up the candy cane starting at the bottom.
To get a smoother wrap, try to stretch the tape as you go. also, Narrower strips lay flatter.
Squeeze the gaps together at the top as you wrap to form the curve
Step 8: Trim Excess Off Bottom and Top
Use a craft knife to trim the overlap from your cane.
Step 9: Ading the Red Stripe
Participated in the
Papercraft Contest
