Papel Picado Generator

Type a name or a greeting, choose a pattern, and download a papel picado that cuts out as a single sheet — on a Cricut, a Silhouette, a laser or with a craft knife. The lettering is cut out of the paper in stencil faces, so the middle of every O stays where it is.

How it works

1. Write the lettering. Pick one of 10 stencil fonts and set the size. If part of a letter turns striped, its bridges are too thin for your paper — make the lettering bigger.
2. Choose a pattern and a border. Diamonds, circles, flowers, stars or hearts. The strip between cut-outs is the net that holds the sheet together, and it is never thinner than you set.
3. Set the sheet. Width and height, the uncut top band that folds over the string, and a scalloped, pointed or straight bottom edge.
4. Download. SVG for Cricut Design Space, DXF for Silhouette Studio, a PDF template to cut by hand, or STL and 3MF to 3D print it.

Why only stencil fonts

Papel picado is cut out of the sheet, so a letter with a closed middle — an O, an a, a 9 — would leave a disc of paper attached to nothing, and it would fall out. Every face here is a stencil: each counter is bridged to the paper around it, and each one is checked letter by letter, accents included, before it is offered.

Hanging it

The top band is never cut. Lay the string along the dashed line, fold the band over it and glue it down, then hang the next flag beside it. Tissue paper is the traditional material; card and the plastic sheet used for outdoor papel picado last longer.

Included in every plan

The papel picado generator comes with the same account and the same plan as the cake topper generator. The free plan downloads SVG, DXF, the PDF template and STL, and takes one picture per sheet; Hobbyist and Commercial add 3MF, more pictures, saved designs and unlimited downloads. Details are on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the papel picado generator free?

Yes. On the free plan every papel picado downloads as SVG, DXF, a PDF template and STL, with no watermark, up to 2 downloads a day, and you can cut one picture of your own into each sheet. Paid plans add 3MF, more pictures, saved designs and unlimited downloads, and cover cake toppers too.

Which cutting machines does it work with?

Cricut Design Space opens the SVG and Silhouette Studio opens the DXF, including its free Basic edition. Laser cutters and CAD software read either. The whole papel picado is one path with holes in it, so it cuts as a single piece.

Can I cut it without a machine?

Yes. Download the PDF template, print it at 100% and pin it over your paper, or over a stack of tissue sheets the traditional way, then cut out the grey areas with a craft knife.

What paper should I use?

Tissue paper is traditional but delicate, so the generator warns when a bridge is thinner than 1.5 mm. Card and plastic sheet hold strips down to 1 mm. Choose the material in the editor and the warnings follow it.

Can I sell papel picado made with it?

Yes, with the Commercial plan, which includes a licence to sell what you make. It is the same licence that covers cake toppers.