Coco's Crafts

Paper & foil plates · Part 1

How to make miniature plates from paper and foil (1/12 scale)

Coco's most-watched tutorial: tiny 1/12 scale dollhouse plates made from a printed paper design and foil, pressed in a mold you can make yourself from cardboard.

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Shop this video's productsWatch the videoSupplies used

Watch the video

A hand holding a cardboard plate mold in front of dozens of patterned miniature paper platesPlay: How to make miniature plates from paper and foil. 1/12 scale.

Length 11:33. On YouTube since March 2, 2024. The player loads from YouTube (youtube-nocookie.com) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube.

What you'll make

This is the video that started it all: more than 800,000 people have watched Coco turn a printed paper picture and a little foil into a 1/12 scale dollhouse plate. You don't need a 3D printer or any special equipment. Coco shows how to make the plates from scratch, and how to make your own plate mold from cardboard.

Below are the steps from the video, Coco's crafting supplies, her printable plate designs (ready-sized, so you can skip the resizing) and answers to the questions people ask most.

You'll make: round 1/12 scale plates with a printed pattern. Made with Coco's round design sheets they finish at about 27 mm (1.06 in) across.

  1. Make the mold base0:00Start the plate mold: Coco builds the base from cardboard.
  2. Make the mold cap4:06Make the matching top piece of the mold.
  3. Prepare the plate materials7:28Get the printed plate design and the foil ready.
  4. Press and shape the plates8:42Press the layers in the mold to shape each plate.
  5. Finish the plates10:44Give the plates their final finish.

Steps follow the video's chapters on YouTube (YouTube creates these chapters automatically). Tap a time to jump to that part of the video.

Shop this video's products

Coco's printable plate designs are whole-plate pictures, ready-sized for 1/12 paper & foil plates: print them at home on plain paper, cut them out and press them, just like in the video. Every sheet has 40 designs; the Mega Pack has all ten sheets (400 designs). They are printable PDF files, for personal use only.

Looking for the paper-plate molds? They are separate from the printable designs and aren't in the shop right now; they're coming back to the store. Until then, Part 1 shows how to make your own mold from cardboard.

Licence for Coco's designs: Personal use only: selling finished items made with these designs or files is not allowed, and the files may not be shared or resold. Instant downloads; prices in US dollars.

Browse all of Coco's Paper & Foil Plates →

Coco's crafting supplies

These are the crafting supplies Coco lists in the descriptions of her plate videos, plus the everyday materials for this project.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. "View on Amazon (paid link)" buttons are Amazon affiliate links; Coco's own designs are sold on this site. Check the seller's size and product details before ordering.

Cutting & mold making

Other supplies for this stage (1)
CardboardFor the homemade plate mold

Coco's tips

Safety: miniatures have small parts and are not food safe. Keep them away from young children and pets.

Questions & answers

How big are 1/12 scale plates made this way?

With Coco's round design sheets the plates finish at about 27 mm (1.06 in) across; the designs print at 28 mm (1.1 in). Her oval platters finish at about 35 × 25 mm (1.4 × 1 in).

Do I need a 3D printer or a special mold?

No. In this video Coco shows how to make your own plate mold from cardboard, so you can start with materials you already have.

Are the printable designs the same as waterslide decals?

No. They're whole-plate pictures printed on plain paper for paper & foil plates. Coco's waterslide decals are a separate range, sized for clay and 3D printed plates.

Where do I get the plate designs?

Use your own pictures (Part 2 shows how to find and resize them), or download Coco's ready-sized sheets: 40 designs per sheet, or 400 in the Mega Pack.

Can I sell the plates I make with Coco's designs?

No. Coco's designs and files are for personal use only: selling finished items made with them is not allowed, and the files may not be shared or resold.

Are these miniatures food safe?

No. They're decorative and not food safe. They also have small parts, so keep them away from young children and pets.

Next: Part 2 · Designs, layers & shapes

Go to Part 2 →

Keep making