Make a Tiny Paper Swiss Chalet for Your Holiday Decor

Here's the Tiny Paper Swiss Chalet - the latest craft project in the 12 Day Craft-Along. This little paper house is based on a house I made in December two years ago. I kept meaning to update the pattern, but didn't get around to it until now. I hope you will enjoy it as a miniature ornament.

miniature swiss chalet ornaments for holiday decor The miniature Swiss Chalet is another tiny house that you can make quickly during your busy holiday season. After you cut it out, you can assemble the tiny house in about 5 minutes.

Here are the other little paper houses in this easy craft series:

Miniature Swiss Chalet white gel pen

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Materials for the Tiny Swiss Chalet

Card stock - I used either 65# or 110# card stock - either works
Foil card stock (optional) for the roof
Glue - Any PVA glue will work, I used Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue
Decorative options:
- Gel pen - the Uniball Signo is my favorite
- Paint the color of your choice
- Glitter, anyone?
Cutting method - I cut out the little Swiss Chalet with my Cricut Maker, but the design is still easy to cut out by hand
Embroidery Thread
Large needle

Don't you just love the tiny chalet as an ornament? The version below is colored with the white gel pen and makes a nice village with the other houses in this 12 Day Craft-Along.

Tiny houses decorated with white gel pen

Instructions for the Miniature Swiss Chalet

Download the free Swiss Chalet pattern from the Paper Glitter Glue library
Cut out the little house
Use the pen, paint, glitter, or different colored cardstock to decorate your paper house
Assemble the miniature house
Make a hanger for your little barn if you want it to hang it as an ornament

More details on how to make this delightful little house are outlined below.

1. Download the free pattern template

If you are new to my craft blog, here is how to get the tiny house pattern. Just subscribe to my Paper Glitter Glue newsletter where I share craft information and crafty inspiration. The form is right below. You will get the password to my library right away as a pop-up right after you subscribe. Please be assured that I will never send you any spam.

After that go to the Paper Glitter Glue library click the link to get to the password page, add the password. Now you have access to all the files in the library.

Please note that all of my free files are listed in chronological order. So pay attention to the month and year for the file you are looking for. This miniature paper house is located in the November 2020 section as the fifth project in the Holiday 12 Day Craft-Along series.

The pattern for this tiny holiday paper craft is available in 2 formats - a printable PDF format and as an SVG file to use with automatic cutting machines.

2. Next cut out the pattern

card stock pieces for tiny swiss chalet

As you see on the photo above, this pattern is easy to cut out by hand. It's actually designed so if you don't have a cutting machine, you can cut it out simply since it is basically straight lines.

If you are using an automatic cutting machine, you have to make sure that the score lines are specified and attached to the proper card stock section. I have done most of that for you if you are using a Cricut and Cricut Design Space. But there is one place where you have to remember to use the attach button. I'll show you below.

Here is how the pattern looks when you upload it to Cricut's Design Space. Next, ungroup the pattern, then select the body of the chalet so you can attach the cut lines to it.

Group then attach score and cut lines to the chalet

After you have selected the group that includes the body of the chalet, just click the attach button at the bottom right hand corner. That tells your Cricut machine that those cut lines and score lines belong to that piece of the house.

3. Decorate your Tiny Swiss Chalet

Well, I didn't really decorate this all that much - the trim and the windows and door in contrasting colors work pretty well as decor. Especially for houses made of card stock it is far easier to glue everything on before you assemble the house.

First glue the brown "wood" trim to the white contrasting piece of the chalet. Then glue on the window to that piece.

Glue trim to white background for house

Next glue the white triangular pieces with the trim to the body of the house.

glue windows, door and trim to miniature swiss chalet house

4. Next assemble the tiny paper chalet

First, fold along the score lines to make it easy to assemble.

You can see how the score lines are folded in the photo above.

Next, apply glue to the side glue tab to form the structure of the little barn.

It is done the same as the previous tiny houses.

This photo is from the tiny barn. I forgot to take a photo of this step when I was making the little Swiss Chalet.

side glue tab for assmebly of barn

Glue the roof tabs to the roof flaps

After that, fold the roof flaps inside the roof tabs and glue the roof tabs to the roof flaps below. This gives much better structure to the little house and helps support the roof.

Adhere the chalet roof to the body of the little ornament

Finally, apply glue to the upper surface of the roof tabs and adhere the chalet roof in place. Hold in place for a minute or two. Fortunately, card stock sticks together quickly.

Mop up any excess glue with a q-tip or a toothpick if needed.

5. Glue your tiny chalet to a card stock base, if desired.

To simplify construction, just glue 2-3 layers of card stock together for the base. I just kind of estimated how big to make the base - something like 2.5 inches by 2 inches for the tiny cottage. Also it helps to round the edges of the base because so you won't get bent corners.

Both versions of the chalet have a hole in the back so you can use the tiny LED light strings to light up the house.

6. Make a Hanger for the Tiny paper ornament

Swiss chalet and tiny barn paper ornaments

To make the house as an ornament, use a hole punch to make a hole in the roof about ¼ inch down from the top. Thread a needle that has a large eye (like a crewel needle or embroidery needle) with embroidery thread or baker's twine. Pull the needle through and then tie the thread in a knot. That's it.

Now you have an adorable little paper ornament that doesn't take much time at all.

I hope you enjoyed making another little tiny EASY paper ornament. You can even make it with kids because you know they love little tiny things. Remember that this little paper chalet fits perfectly on a Christmas wreath. Or you can even hang it on a garland.

Make a tiny Swiss Chalet Paper House

Here are all the 12 Day Craft-Along Projects

Let me know if you have any other questions - email me at [email protected]. Please be sure to come by frequently for all the other crafts in the 12 Days Craft-Along.

Lucy