How to Make a Paper Bat Garland for a Cozy Halloween Window

A little black paper can do a lot for an ordinary window. This paper bat garland adds a soft, slightly spooky Halloween detail without turning the whole room into a haunted house.

The bats are cut by hand, folded gently through the center, and taped onto a single length of string. There is no drying time, sewing, or cutting machine involved. Make seven for a small window, or start with three for a narrow shelf. The shapes can be slightly different; that is part of their charm.

Plan a garland that fits your space

Choose a dry indoor spot first. A window, a shelf with existing hooks, or an unused decorative mantel works well. Keep paper and string away from heat, flames, moving blinds, and places where children or pets could pull them down. This is a decoration, not a toy.

For a roughly five-foot display, aim for seven bats about five inches wide with a few inches between their wing tips. Leave extra string at both ends for tying. Those measurements are a starting point, not a pattern you have to follow perfectly. Hold the string up in the intended spot before cutting it so you can allow for a gentle dip.

Check the craft drawer before shopping. You only need a few sheets of paper and a short length of string; save the rest for future projects. Scrap paper makes a perfectly good practice pattern.

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Supplies

• Black cardstock: Astrobrights Eclipse Black cardstock, 65 lb, 8.5 by 11 inches. Three or four sheets should be enough for seven small bats, depending on your layout. The linked pack contains 100 sheets; use paper you already have if you can.
• Paper scissors: Fiskars 8-inch SoftGrip all-purpose scissors for cutting the outlines. An adult should handle sharp scissors.
• Pencil: Ticonderoga #2 HB pencils for light sketching. Draw on the back of the paper, where a faint graphite line will be easier to hide.
• Black cotton string: KINGLAKE black cotton baker’s twine. Use only the length your display needs, plus enough at both ends for loose knots.
• Clear office tape: Scotch Magic Tape with dispensers to attach the string to the backs of the bats. The tape is for the paper, not for sticking the garland onto painted trim.

1. Make one easy paper pattern

Fold a piece of scrap paper in half. The folded edge will become the center of the bat. Draw just one side: half of a short head and body beside the fold, one pointed ear, and a wing that sweeps outward to a point. Curve the lower wing edge back toward the body with two or three broad scallops.

Keep the body wide enough to hold a small piece of tape. Avoid tiny notches and very narrow wing tips, which are harder to cut and more likely to bend. The outline should meet the folded edge at the top of the head and the bottom of the body. Cut the outline, leaving the folded center intact, then open it up.

If the first shape looks more like a butterfly, make the ears more pointed and the lower wings more scalloped. If it looks too busy, simplify it. A recognizable silhouette matters more than perfect symmetry.

2. Cut your black paper bats

Fold a piece of cardstock and place the folded practice pattern against its folded edge. Trace lightly, then cut around the outline through both layers. Open the bat carefully. Repeat until you have enough for your space, arranging the patterns to waste as little paper as possible.

Cut one folded bat at a time rather than stacking several thick sheets. Turn the paper as you work around the curves, making small cuts instead of forcing the scissors through a tight corner. Keep pencil marks on the back.

3. Give the wings a gentle lift

The original fold provides a center crease. Ease the bat open so the wings form a shallow V rather than pressing it completely flat. You want just enough dimension to catch the light. A hard fold through every wing scallop is unnecessary.

Lay the bats beside one another and adjust the creases until the shapes look like a set. Slight variations in the wing shapes make the finished garland feel handmade.

4. Tape the bats onto the string

Arrange the bats face down on a clean table in the order you want them. Run the string across the upper backs of their bodies, just below the heads. Leave a little space between wing tips and plenty of loose string at both ends.

Place a short strip of tape vertically over the string on each body and press it firmly onto the paper above and below the string. Add a second strip if needed, keeping all tape behind the body. Lift the garland slowly and check that each bat stays upright. If one tips forward, move its attachment a little higher on the body.

5. Hang it with a relaxed dip

Tie the ends to existing safe supports, such as curtain-rod brackets or small hooks already in place. Keep the string clear of the window mechanism. Do not depend on office tape to hold the garland to paint, wallpaper, or furniture.

Start with a shallow curve and step back. If the bats bunch together, increase the spacing on the table before hanging them again. If the dip is too deep, shorten the hanging length by adjusting the end knots. One little pumpkin below is plenty; the black silhouettes already provide the Halloween detail.

Small fixes that make a difference

• Drooping wings: Try a smaller bat or cardstock instead of thin paper. Do not wet or iron the paper to flatten it.
• Bats sliding on the string: Press fresh tape firmly around the string and onto the paper. Test one attachment before assembling the whole garland.
• Pencil lines showing: Turn the marked side toward the back, or trim just inside the outline.
• Garland twisting: Check that the string crosses the upper body of every bat at a similar height. Keep the finished decoration away from fans and drafts.

Pack it away for another October

Lower the garland carefully and lay the bats flat between pieces of clean scrap paper. Fold the string loosely rather than winding it tightly around the wings. Store everything in a dry envelope or box. You may need fresh tape next year, but the paper shapes can be kept as long as they remain in good condition.

For another small Halloween project, try a spooky terrarium. If you want to add a separate cozy glow, the Halloween luminaries tutorial is a useful next stop. Keep any light source well away from this paper garland.

You do not need a whole bin of decorations to make a room feel seasonal. A few paper bats and a quiet corner are a lovely place to start.