Save keeps your ticked steps. We email you a link, no password.
Steps written out by Crafting Step by Step from ~XADIA~'s video (opens YouTube) (5:55). Published .
Paper claws are the Halloween craft you can start with nothing but a stack of printer paper. One sheet folds into one claw. No glue, no scissors, no tape. Paper claws without glue is not a special version. It is the only one. The tip tucks into a pocket made by the last fold, and that tuck is the whole fastener.
The fold comes from XADIA, who builds paper dragons and folds these as the claws for them. The first one takes about five minutes. By the third your hands know the sequence and it drops under two. Ten sheets is a full set for both hands.
Plain printer paper works and it is what most people have. It creases crisp and the tuck holds. It goes soft after an evening of wear, so a set for one party is fine, but a set that has to survive a week of school dress-up days wants something heavier.
Colored copy paper is the easy upgrade. Black for a cat, a witch or a wolf. Green or red for a dragon. White if you plan to draw scales on afterwards. Cardstock gives rigid claws that keep their point, but the small folds near the tip take real pressure and a child will struggle with them. Heavy colored paper is the sweet spot.
Skip glossy paper. The tuck relies on friction, and a slick sheet slides back out of its pocket.
A full letter or A4 sheet gives a claw that fits an adult finger. The opening is set by how deep the tip goes into the pocket: deeper means a tighter cone. For a thumb, stop the tuck a little short. For a pinky, push it all the way home.
For a child, fold from a half sheet. Fold the paper in half, crease hard, and tear along the crease. Still no scissors. A half sheet makes a claw about two thirds the size, which sits on a small finger instead of swallowing it. Test one on the child before you fold the other nine.
Three things loosen a claw. The corner fold at the start was a few degrees off, so every fold after it landed crooked. The creases were pressed soft, so the cone springs open. Or the final tuck stopped short.
The fix is the same each time: unfold back to the bad crease and redo it. Run a fingernail or a bone folder along every fold. When you feed the tip into the pocket, push it further than feels necessary, then pinch the outside flat so the pocket grips. A claw that can be pulled off and pushed back on three times will last the night.
New claws are tight and loosen with wear. Do not stretch one open on the first try. Wear it for a minute instead.
Fold one claw start to finish so your hands learn it. Then run the other nine as a production line: the corner fold on all nine sheets, then the double fold on all nine, and so on down the sequence. Each fold is fresh in your fingers when you repeat it. Twenty minutes gets a set.
Do the two thumb claws last with a shallower tuck. Color after folding, not before, because a line down the spine only makes sense once you can see where the spine landed. Stack the finished claws point-down inside each other and they travel flat in a sandwich bag.
Dragon is the reason this fold exists. Green or red paper, a darker line down each spine, and a few origami dragons on the table to match. Cat: black paper from half sheets, so the claws read as short and sharp. Witch: green paper, full sheets, a purple line down each nail. Wolf: brown or grey paper, worn over dark gloves so the join disappears and the paper grips fabric better than it grips skin. Skeleton: white claws over black gloves.
For a party rather than a costume, fold a paper crown for whoever plays the dragon king and hang a few paper bats by the door. If this is the first thing you have folded, the origami basics page covers reading a crease line and why a hard fold matters.
Free printable
One page you can take to the table. Free with a free account, no password.
Free, for this project
Fold a paper claw from one sheet using only your hands. An easy project: about 45 minutes. The 11 steps start with lay One Sheet of Paper Out Lengthwise, fold the Corner Across to Make a Triangle, fold the Triangle Down Twice Toward the Point, fold the Corner Over Into a Square, fold the Square in Half Twice and Crease Hard and open the Paper and Fold the Triangle Up to the Crease Line.
11 steps, about 6 minutes. Tap a picture to jump to that step. Your progress saves automatically.
Tick each step off as you go.
One claw takes one piece of paper. No glue, no scissors, no tape. Turn the sheet lengthwise in front of you. Printer paper works, though slightly heavier paper holds its shape better once the claw is on your finger.
Slightly heavier paper holds the claw shape better than thin printer paper, which goes soft after a few wears. Cardstock is close to the upper limit before the folds get hard to press.
Take the top corner and bring it across until the short edge lines up with the long edge. Follow the lines of the paper to keep it straight. You get a triangle with a leftover strip along the bottom - leave that strip where it is for now.
Follow the edge of the paper rather than eyeballing it. A corner fold that is a few degrees off compounds through every fold after it.
Fold the triangle down, then fold it again toward the point, keeping everything lined up. If the layers bunch and refuse to sit flat, push a finger inside and flatten it out. You should end up with a small triangle, a straight edge, then another triangle.
If the layers bunch and will not lie flat, push a finger down inside and flatten from within instead of pressing harder from the top.
Take the corner and fold it over so the shape becomes a square. This is the base the whole claw is built on, so check the edges actually meet before you crease it down.
Line the edges up before you press. The square is the base the claw is built on, and a gap here shows up as a lopsided cone.
Turn the square slowly and fold it in half. Then fold it in half once more. The piece gets small and thick. Press each crease hard, because these are the folds that give the claw its curve later.
These two creases set the curve of the claw. Run a fingernail or a bone folder along each one.
Open the paper back out. You will see a line running across it. Fold the triangle up to meet that line, then fold it into the middle. The claw starts to look pointed here rather than blocky.
Fold the piece over again so it takes on a shape like the letter A, angling off to one side. Bend it back and press to leave a crease mark you can find again. That mark is your guide for the tuck coming next.
Rotate the piece so the point faces down toward you, then fold that section down. Make the edge line up with the top and run straight down, matching the other side. A crooked fold here shows up as a lopsided claw.
Slide a finger inside to open the little pouch in the paper. Feed the tip into that hole and keep pushing it in until it seats fully. Press the outside so it stays put. That tuck is the only thing holding the claw together, so push it further than feels necessary.
This tuck is the only thing holding the claw together. Keep feeding the tip in until it stops moving.
Work a thumb into the open end to widen it, then push it onto your fingertip. It feels tight the first few times and loosens with use. Make nine more and you have a full set.
Tight is normal at first. Wearing it for a few minutes loosens the paper enough to slide on easily.
Plain white claws take marker and colored pencil well. Draw a line down the spine and dot along it, or match the colors to a costume. This is where a generic paper cone starts looking like an actual dragon claw.
Keep going
How to Make a Paper Dahlia (Easy Cardstock Flower)
More on this topic, picked for this project.
You reached the last step
Your ticked steps, the free printable and your other saved makes, together in My Projects. Free, no password.
Free printable
The bonus is hidden until you sign up.
Free with a free account, no password. Every step above stays open to everyone.
How to Make Paper Claws
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links on this page may be affiliate links - clicking them and buying doesn't change your price, but helps support Crafting Step by Step.
The Crafter's Weekly
One short email with the week's best step-by-step guides. Free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Test your knowledge
5 questions covering what you just read. No signup, no score saved, and you can stop after this one.
Question 1 of 5
What is the full material list for paper claws?
Quick reference
5 questions, answers, and one-line explanations. Tap to expand.
1.What is the full material list for paper claws?
Answer: One sheet of paper
No glue, no scissors, no tape, just the sheet itself.
2.How many sheets make a full set for both hands?
Answer: Ten
One sheet per claw, so ten covers all your fingers.
3.What holds each claw together?
Answer: The tip tucks into a pocket
Tucking the tip into a pocket locks the claw without adhesive.
4.Why should you avoid stretching a claw on the first try?
Answer: They loosen on their own with wear
They start tight and slacken as you wear them, so a stretched one ends up falling off.
5.Which paper takes decorating best?
Answer: Plain white paper
Plain white takes marker and colored pencil well, which is what sells the costume look.
Did this work for you?
Curated theme pages that include this tutorial.
Hand-picked next reads based on the one you just finished.
Paper Crafts
9:22 video · 9 steps
Based on a video by Rob's World
Paper Crafts
5:06 video · 9 steps
Based on a video by Paper Kawaii - Origami Tutorials
Paper Crafts
4:25 video · 6 steps
Based on a video by Red Ted Art (Maggy Woodley)
Pick the crafts you want to hear about. One email every Sunday with new step-by-step tutorials. No spam, easy to unsubscribe.
Weekly digest. Pick the categories you want. Unsubscribe anytime.
Send me tutorials about
