This antique-inspired paper fortune teller comes from an activity in The Girl’s Own Book by Lydia Maria Child, published in 1833, and if you read my post about Fortune Teller Dolls, you know that they were popular during the Victorian era. The original illustration from The Girl’s Own Book is below. Notice the stylish harem pants and turban, reflecting the influence of the Ottoman Turks which was so fashionable at the beginning of the 19th century. You can see the book here:
Read on Open Library (pp. 79-80)
Here is how the doll was meant to be constructed:
“This is a toy made of about a quarter of a yard of paste-board, cut round and covered with white paper. The outside edge should be neatly bound with gilt paper. The flat surface is ruled for mottos, and all the lines meet in the centre. The writer should be careful to draw a line of red or black ink between each, to make them distinct. Exactly in the centre of the circle, a wire is inserted; and on that is fastened a neatly-dressed jointed doll, of the smallest size. In one hand she holds a small straw wand, with which she points to the poetry beneath her. The wire is made steady by fastening it in the centre of a common wafer-box, covered and bound to correspond to the rest of the toy. The doll is just high enough above the pasteboard to turn round freely. When you wish your fortune told, twirl her round rapidly, and when she stops, read what her wand points to.”
from THE GIRL’S OWN BOOK by Lydia Maria Child
You have to wonder what type of doll would be small enough and light enough to spin freely on a wire! It doesn’t seem very practical.
To make a modern version of the paper fortune teller, I changed the basic structure so that the circular disc rotates while the doll is stationary. This works better because a disk is a lot easier to spin than a doll. I also put numbers on the base instead of written fortunes, for more variety in the fortunes used. The second page of the tutorial .pdf file includes some sample fortunes from The Witches’ Dream Book and Fortune Teller by A. H. Noe, published in 1885, to help you get started. But feel free to make up your own fortunes. You could also use simple yes/no/maybe answers (like the “Magic 8-Ball”).
Download the Paper Fortune Teller here!
Paper Fortune Teller Instructions
Materials:
Small 3 oz. plastic cup
Craft Scissors
Craft knife
Cutting board
Rubber Cement
Scotch clear “Magic” tape
Chipboard/Thin Cardboard
Pencil
Ruler
Looped bamboo pick
Jumbo bamboo skewer
Small hacksaw or coping saw
100 grit (coarse) sandpaper
NOTE: Please supervise children when using sharp tools.
GLUING THE PATTERN ON CARDBOARD
Print out the .pdf file. Cut around the printed disc and doll, leaving at least 1/4” extra around the edges.
Rubber cement is the best type of glue for this project. Do not use a glue stick or Elmers Glue-All because it will warp the cardboard. Rubber cement comes in a small bottle with a built-in brush for spreading. Make sure the glue is fresh. You don’t want to be spreading any gummy lumps around.
You will be gluing the pattern to a piece of smooth cardboard, also called “chipboard.” Don’t use corrugated cardboard because the ridges will show. A cardboard cereal box works well for this project.
Spread rubber cement on the unprinted side of the chipboard. Smooth out the glue with the brush over an area just a bit larger than the disc.
Press the disc onto the piece of cardboard and smooth it out, making sure there are no wrinkles or bubbles. Be careful not to get any glue on the front side of the printed paper, or the ink may smear.
Next, spread rubber cement on an area of the chipboard just a little larger than the doll. Smooth out the glue with the brush.
Press the doll onto the chipboard and smooth it down as you did for the disc. Let the rubber cement dry for at least one hour.
TIP: If you get rubber cement on your hands, don’t worry. It will rub off easily when it is dry.
TRIMMING THE CARDBOARD
Using the craft scissors, carefully cut out the disc along the printed line. Cut around the edges of the doll as well. If you have trouble cutting some of the smaller details with scissors, try using a craft knife and a cutting board.
POKING A HOLE IN THE DISC
I found “Jumbo” size 3/16” diameter bamboo skewers in the outdoor grilling section of my grocery store. (These are the same skewers used to make the Felt Kitty Friends.) Use the pointed end of the bamboo skewer to poke a hole in the center of the disc.
Expand the hole slightly with the end of a pencil. This will make the hole big enough to allow the disc to spin freely.
On the back side of the disc, trim off any excess cardboard near the hole.
MAKING THE WAND
I purchased a package of looped bamboo picks (used for appetizers) at my grocery store. These make great wands.
Cut off the looped end of the bamboo pick with scissors.
Glue the wand to the back of the doll with rubber cement. The wand should not go any lower than her feet.
CUTTING THE WOODEN SPINDLE
The wooden spindle will become the spine of the fortune telling doll.
Mark the cutting line with a pencil 7” from the end of the bamboo skewer.
Use a small hacksaw or coping saw to cut the skewer. Score a line all around the skewer with the saw, then cut straight through until the piece breaks off. Use 100 grit coarse sandpaper to round off all the sharp edges on the 7” long piece. Keep the smaller piece with pointed end. You will need it for poking a hole in the base.
MAKING THE BASE
With a small craft knife, cut a small “X” in the center of the bottom of the plastic cup.
Take the pointed end of the bamboo skewer and poke it through the “X” to make a hole.
With the cup upside down, place it on top of a small piece of chipboard and trace around the rim with a pencil.
Cut out the circle. Poke the pointed end of the bamboo skewer through the center of the chipboard circle to make a hole for the spindle.
Place the chipboard circle on top of the rim of the cup. Use four pieces of clear tape to hold it in place.
INSERTING THE SPINDLE
Insert the 7” long spindle through the hole on the small end of the cup. Put a little bit of rubber cement into the hole in the chipboard circle. Push the end of the spindle into this hole. The glue will hold it in place.
TESTING THE DISC
Place the disc on the spindle with the printed side facing up. Hold onto the base with one hand and spin the disc with the other hand. It should spin freely. If it sticks or spins too slowly, remove the disc and make the hole larger with the pencil. Then test it again until you are happy with the result.
ATTACHING THE DOLL
Hold the doll in front of the spindle with her feet about 1/2” above the disc. Use three pieces of clear “Magic” tape to attach the doll to the wooden spindle. Add an extra piece of tape to hold the wand in place, and trim off any excess tape.
YOU ARE DONE!
To use the fortune teller, hold onto the base with one hand and spin the disc with the other. When it stops, match the number under her wand with the corresponding fortune. Bonne Chance!
