A Patriotic Ferris Wheel That Really Spins for Independence Day

A Patriotic Ferris Wheel That Really Spins because there is an axle built inside the wheel.  This Ferris Wheel makes a perfect gift.  The base is a box so you can put a present inside.



I celebrated Independence Day this year by making a patriotic Ferris wheel.  It takes about 4 hours to make...one hour of cutting and about three hours of gluing.  I would suggest doing this project over the course of a few days. Take it slow and let the glue dry.  It will make everything easier.

Here is the PDF. I used 65 lb. cardstock and chipboard.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1quhhcjIi6hPcfFNXCbax_Z1qppNWdAaH/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J2KZa-3lvPBJCOHbFpOu1kSKul5ELr-K/view?usp=sharing

Here is the SVG.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M3cL09nhylJyYcDCAiDKAx0aC0ZumV8j/view?usp=sharing


Helpful tip...use a shoe box to store all of the pieces that are cut from this project. The stars from the white chair are used on the round portion of the Ferris wheel. I lost them and I had to recut them.

Glue the boxes together at the corner.  The top box has the slits.

Sandwich and glue two support pieces together with the chipboard in the middle so that the paper does not warp.  Repeat for the other side.

Slide the support piece into the slits of the top box.  Glue the support to the inside of the box.  Repeat for the other side.

Glue the embellishments onto the band.

Bend the embellishment strip and glue onto the box. Set this box aside.

Make the eight Ferris wheel chairs by gluing a red inner chair piece to a white outer chair piece. Repeat for the other side of the chair.  

Apply glue to the U shaped area and insert the seat portion of the chair.

Completed Ferris wheel chair.

Glue the embellishments to the Ferris wheel as shown on top. Repeat for the other Ferris wheel.

Make the center axle by forming it into a tube and apply glue to one side.

Adhere into a tube.

Glue the axle tabs to one side of the Ferris Wheel and insert the tabs on the other side of the axle to the other side of the Ferris wheel.

Make sure that the spokes are aligned as shown.

Make the rods by wrapping them around a toothpick and gluing the edge.

Slide the rod onto the Ferris wheel chair.  Slide on the spacers and space them next to the Ferris wheel circle. The spacers are needed so that the chair does not move around on the axle when the Ferris Wheel is turned.

Thread the rod axle through the Ferris wheel and glue down the tabs.

Glue a star from the white chair on top of the rod tabs. Repeat for the other side.

Completed Assembly with Chairs. 

Roll the center small axle into a tube and apply glue to the edge.

Adhere the axle into a tube.  Glue the white circle to the red gear shape.

Thread the axle through the hole and glue down the tabs of the axle.

Glue on the star.

Thread this piece through the hole in the support piece.

Thread on the white gear shape onto the axle.

Thread on the Ferris wheel and another white gear shape.

Pinch the other support piece until you can thread it through the center axle. Glue the white circle onto the red axle and thread that onto the axle.

Glue the tabs of the axle down as shown above. Glue the blue star onto the center of the axle.

Completed Patriotic Ferris wheel.

Happy Independence Day!