Free Butterfly SVG: 3D Butterfly Paper Craft

These butterfly SVG files have six beautiful patterns. When combined with black vinyl and holographic paper, they are the perfect spring craft to chase away the winter blues.

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HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE BUTTERFLY SVG FILES FROM THE FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY

I designed these butterfly SVG files to be cut on an electronic cutting machine (i.e. Silhouette Cameo or Cricut). Before you begin this craft, you’ll need to cut out the various pieces for assembly.

To download your free butterfly SVG files, subscribe at the top right sidebar or at the bottom of this post. I’ve also provided SVG, DXF, EPS, PNG, and PDF versions of the files to accommodate all cutting machine types.

After subscribing, you will receive an email confirming your subscription (check your spam or promotions folder if you don’t see it.) Once you confirm your subscription you will receive a “welcome email” with the password. Go to the library page and enter the password in the empty box located below the word “Password”. You can also access the library on the top menu bar any time you’d like with your password.

Please keep in mind that the password is case sensitive and does have spaces. Also, check to make sure your caps lock is turned off. If you have any problems, email me at laura@heartfilledspaces.com and I’ll do my best to help. Once in the library follow the instructions for downloading your free files.

LIST OF SUPPLIES

• Black Vinyl
• Transfer Tape
• Holograph Paper (Recollections Galaxy Glitz Paper)

TOOLS

• Silhouette Cameo or Cricut Cutting Machines
• Cutting Mats – Light Grip (Cricut or Silhouette)
• Cutting Tools

SILHOUETTE CAMEO CUT SETTINGS FOR BUTTERFLY SVG FILES

You’ll also want to use a light grip cutting mat for the paper. If you have not completed the download step, refer back to the DOWNLOAD THE PAPER FLOWERS section up above for instructions. For the Designer or Business Edition of Silhouette Studio use the SVG file type. If you have the basic edition (free version) of Silhouette Studio download the DXF file. Note: Sometimes the DXF files open in the gray area surrounding your canvas. You may need to choose (CTRL -) that’s the Control Key plus the Minus Key, to zoom out and see the DXF file.

Open Silhouette Studio. Then choose File then Open and choose the Butterfly Bundle you downloaded from the library to your computer. The files will be in the location you downloaded them to previously.

The files will open up pretty large. Just click and drag over all of them to select the six butterfly’s. Then drag the corner box to drag them down to the width of the 12 by 12 cutting mat. Each individual butterfly will be close to 3.5 inches wide.

Now select all six butterflies again and right click on them. Then choose ungroup. Then, while holding down your shift key select each butterfly body (grey center). Once they are all selected, drag them to the left of your mat (in the grey space). This will leave the solid blue butterflies on your mat. You will cut the blue butterflies from the holographic paper using the following cut settings.

Solid Butterfly Cut Settings For Paper

This paper has a shiny surface on it, so I just used my card-stock cut settings to cut it.

Under the Send panel change your settings to:

Blade: 5, Force: 30, Speed: 4, Passes: 1, Overcut: Off

Load your material on your light grip cutting mat and load it into your machine. Then press send. Once finished, unload your paper.

Pattern Butterfly Cut Settings For Black Vinyl

Go back to your design panel and select all of the solid blue butterflies. Then drag them off of your mat. Now select all of the Grey patterned butterflies and drag them onto your mat. Be careful not to resize them. You want them to line up exactly with your solid paper butterflies.

Go to the send panel and change your cut settings to Vinyl.

Blade: 2, Force: 9, Speed: 8, Passes: 1, Overcut: Off

Load your black vinyl on your mat and load it into your machine. Be sure to do a test cut so you don’t waste your vinyl, then send your file to cut.

Now go to the (Weed Your Vinyl) section below.

CRICUT UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BUTTERFLY SVG FILES

Open Cricut Design Space. Click upload on the bottom left toolbar. Then click upload image and then browse. Select the SVG version of the BUTTERFLY BUNDLE that you downloaded earlier from the library. If you have not completed the download step, refer back to the DOWNLOAD THE BUTTERFLY BUNDLE section up above for instructions.

Click open and rename the file and add tags if you want to. Then click save. Now select the file and choose Insert Images.

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE INSTRUCTIONS

Once the file is in Cricut Design Space, click on it and size it down to fit on your mat. Right click on the butterflies and ungroup them once. Now move the butterflies so they are close together and all 12 butterflies fit on the mat. Each butterfly will be around 3.5 inches wide. See the image below as a reference.

Remember, when the butterflies are selected together, they need to be less than 11.5″ to fit on the mat. Once they are resized, select and hide the blue butterflies in the layers panel. Then attach the black/grey butterflies together and click Make It. Your preview should look similar to the image above. Load your vinyl on the mat and load it into your Cricut machine. Choose vinyl for your material, load your Fine Point Blade and press Go on your machine. Then click Finish and unload your mat.

Now back on your Canvas in Cricut Design Space, hide all of your black patterned butterflies in the layers panel and unhide the blue solid layers. If you are cutting all of your butterflies from the same color paper, Attach them together. Load your paper on your mat and load it into your machine. Click Make It. For material, choose cardstock medium. Load your Fine Point Blade. Then press Go.

Note: If you are cutting different colors of paper (like I did), change the solid butterfly colors to the color of your paper and skip the Attach step. Then your butterflies will be on separate mats when you choose Make It.

Weed The Vinyl To Reveal Your Butterfly Patterns

Use your weeding tools to remove the extra vinyl. I leave my vinyl on the cutting mat when I weed it. It helps to be in a well lit room and have a lint roller nearby to stick the extra vinyl to.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR BUTTERFLIES

Cut a piece of transfer paper a little bigger than your vinyl butterfly. Then peel the backing from the transfer paper.

Place the sticky side of your transfer paper to the vinyl butterfly. Then press it down with your scraper tool.

Now slowly peel up the transfer paper so the butterfly removes from the white paper backing it was attached to.

Stick your holographic solid butterfly to a cutting mat, so it doesn’t move on you. Now carefully line up the black vinyl over the paper holographic butterfly. Note: The butterflies are different sizes, make sure you have the right solid butterfly to go with the vinyl one you are working with. Once it’s lined up, press the vinyl down. Then burnish the transfer paper with your scraper tool.

Now carefully peel back the transfer paper. It’s best to peel it from the bottom of the butterfly up towards the antennas.

Here is one butterfly completed.

Now take your scraper tool and hold it at the edge of the butterfly body. Then, fold the wing back and repeat it on the other side for a 3D effect.

Now you can place them all around the house. I added mine to the outside of some picture frames and on my paper flower wreaths.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

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FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST

Do you like budget friendly home decor and crafts? Follow me on PINTEREST. Did you know that you can hover over any of the images below and save them for later? Just click on the red Pinterest button and save it to your Spring Decor, Paper Crafts, or Cricut board. It’s helpful to Pin It now and save it for later, when your ready to start your project.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have some fun with this spring craft!