Wycinanki are a Polish folk craft involving cutting decorative paper designs. They originated among the Jewish community in Poland in the 1800s as colorful window decorations. Wycinanki later became popular in Polish culture as well, where they were used to decorate homes and celebrate important family events due to their believed magical properties. Today, the most renowned wycinanki styles come from cities and regions in Poland. They typically feature symmetrical patterns of motifs like birds, flowers, and stars. Wycinanki are an affordable art form that can be used for window displays, cards, and bookmarks. They are made by cutting shapes from folded paper.

1. WYCINANKI
Objectives:
- to exercise tiny muscles in one`s hand
- to improve one`s creativity
Children age:
It is perfect for people between 4 and 104 ;)
Time:
About 15 minutes.
Wicinanki in Poland
Polish wycinanki became a popular folk craft in the mid-1800s.
The first wycinanki were made by Jews. Wycinanki were (and still are) colourful. Jews put them in
theirs windows on Szawuot (means Green Holiday).
In polish culture (in XIX and XX century) wycinanki were using as a decoration at home. When
people celebrated important moment for the family they glued them on the ceiling. They believed
that wycinanki have a magical power.
Nowadays the most popular wycinanki are from Łowicz, Kołbiela (cities in Poland) and
Kurpiowszczyzna (region in Poland).
Appearance and themes
Wycinanki were made by leather, nowadays we use a paper. They use different kind of symmetry.
They contain rhythmic repetition of motifs in horizontal or vertical systems. Subject matter
includes: peacocks, roosters and other birds, circular/ star-shaped medallions, flowers etc.
Wycinanki is an inexpensive art form. They can be use as a window decoration, notecards,
bookmarks etc.

2. How to make Wycinanki?
Picture Description
Prepare a paper size A4.
Cut ¼ of it (you should get a piece of paper size 29,5x5cm).
Prepared piece of paper (the small one) fold in half.
One of the piece fold in half one more time.
The second too.
When you prepare your first wycinanki better is to draw the style
and then cut it out.
When you get some experiences you will not need to draw the
style before cut out.
Now cut the prepared style.
When we cut the style we can put (glue) it on colorful paper.
Now our wycinanka can be a bookmark.

3. Picture Description
Prepare a paper size A4.
Cut 1/2 of it (you should get a piece of paper size 29,5x10cm).
Prepared piece of paper (the small one) fold in half.
One of the piece fold in half one more time.
Do the same with the second.
All fold again.
Draw the style. You have to be careful. All draws elements have to
stick the bank of the paper. Otherwise the wicinanka will fail.
Now cut the prepared style.
Carefully unfold the wycinanka.
This kind of wycinanki can make a long chain.