I hope you are ready for some more carnival action! Today, I’m expanding my 3D attraction collection with a theme park classic. Relax and enjoy the view on this die cut 3D swing ride!
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The carousel I made last year was my first foray into really intricate, 3-dimensional paper craft design. It was really difficult, and may or may not have led to a few tears at times. But, because of that initial project, I have been inspired to try all kinds of new 3D designs: including this rad, die cut 3D swing ride!
Supplies
- Cardstock
- Thin Wire or Thread
- Hot Glue
- Bone Folder (optional)
- A Cutting Machine or X-ACTO knife
- My Free Template
How to Make It
1. Use your cutting machine or X-ACTO knife, along with my template, to cut out all of the swing ride pieces.
Note: If you are using the SVG files that includes the score lines, don’t forget to set them as such in Cricut Design Space and attach them to their shapes before sending through your cutting machine. I used a lime green color to mark the score lines, so hopefully that helps! If you’re not using the SVG file that includes score lines, you can use the PDF version as a reference to know where your folds should go.
Assembling the Base
2. Attach the two long, rectangular pieces together and fold into an octagon shape.
Fold up the edges of the frilly base piece, and attach it to the octagon liner.
Assembling the Column
3. Fold both of the column pieces into octagon shapes. With the wider, bottom piece, fold the top pieces inward, and then fold the tabs up.
Attach the tabs of the bottom column piece to the inside of the upper column section (the flat side, not the slanted side).
Layer the embellishment pieces together, and glue them around the sides of the lower portion of the column (align using the base, as the rounded tops will come above the base section slightly).
Assembling the Top Tent
4. Fold down the edges of the top tent base piece, and glue the tabs around the inside. Then, layer the embellishment pieces on top.
Assemble the three edges sections. Glue them around the edge of the main tent base, making sure to keep them evenly aligned as you go along.
Then, attach the entire piece to the tilted, center column using the tabs provided.
Note: Do not attach the actual “tent” portion to the top yet.
Assembling the Chairs
5. Fold your chairs in half. Fold the little arm rests inward, and attach the tabs to the inside of the seat. Attach the embellishment pieces to the back.
The next part can be done differently, depending on how you want your swings to function. Here is what I did:
Using 26 gauge, thread wrapped wire (I was lucky enough to find this at a local craft store, but there are plenty of cool, colored wire options on Amazon), I cut 16 4″ pieces. I then attached them to both sides of the base of each chair by bending a small portion, and adhering it with hot glue. After that, I attached the chair liners on top.
I chose to go this route because I wanted my swings to have more rigidity in order to be bent to appear as if in mid-flight.
An alternate way you could attach your swings is my using a needle and thread if you’d like your chairs to swing freely.
After your chairs are assembled, you’ll need to poke some holes in the top of the tent base in order to hang them up. I’ve created a template for this and included it in the download if you’d like to make sure the chairs are evenly spaced out. Simply print it, cut it out, lay it in the top, and use a pushpin to poke your holes.
Then, you can remove the paper, run your wire through the holes, and glue them in.
Finishing
6. The last thing to be done is to assemble your top tent piece!
Attach the triangles on alternating sections, fold along the creases, and glue the tab to the inside.
Then, fold in your bottom edge tabs, add some hot glue on each one, and press the tent into its base.
Your swing ride is complete!
I’m so glad I finally got around to designing this swing ride! My Ferris wheel and carousel have been begging for some company.
I use Adobe Illustrator for all of my designs, and a Cricut Maker to bring my creations to life. For tips on creating fun paper cuts like this one, see the FAQ section on my website. Also, be sure to check out the other awesome die cut freebies available on my blog!
I hope you enjoy putting this die cut 3D swing ride together! I’ve been seeing more and more of you take on these challenging projects, and it’s amazing to see the results. As always, be sure to share your masterpieces with me on Instagram (#designsbymissmandee)!
Watch the video tutorial for this design here:
*This post contains affiliate links. By clicking through my links to make a purchase, you are supporting this blog and the hard work that goes into providing free, quality designs.
Mandee is a professional graphic designer, amateur bird watcher, and rollercoaster enthusiast. She is a wife to hardworking high school teacher and mommy to three adorable little humans. She fell in love with graphic design when she started working on a comedy website with a guy she met her freshman year of college. Design wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with, and they were married a year and a half later. She created Designs By Miss Mandee to be a place where she could merge her passion for design with her lifelong love of crafting. 33 Comments on Die Cut 3D Swing Ride
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KK
June 11, 2020 at 7:42 am (4 years ago)You are ridiculously talented. This is so cute. Thank you for always sharing.
Mandee
June 11, 2020 at 10:56 am (4 years ago)You are too kind! I’m glad you like it!! 😊
jessie
June 11, 2020 at 9:54 am (4 years ago)Another incredible design!
I recently found your website and have downloaded a number of your svgs.
Thank you for being so generous.
My grandkids are going to love getting some of your creations.
Mandee
June 11, 2020 at 10:57 am (4 years ago)So glad you stumbled upon my little corner of the internet! Have fun making projects for the grandkids!! ❤️
Kathy
June 11, 2020 at 12:55 pm (4 years ago)Amazing! I don’t know how you manage to come up with such adorable designs. The time and effort you put in is absolutely amazing. In all my life I would not be able to make a file like yours. The attention to detail and the scaling is over the top. Thank you so much for sharing your adorable creations!
Mandee
June 12, 2020 at 11:04 am (4 years ago)You are truly too kind Kathy!! Thank you for your sweet words—you’ve really made my day. 😊
Vincenza
October 2, 2021 at 11:23 am (3 years ago)Ciao io ho provato a scaricare i tuoi disegni ma non me li fa aprire come mai.
Mandee
October 4, 2021 at 10:42 am (3 years ago)Sorry you’re having trouble! Take a look at my FAQ page for detailed downloading instructions and troubleshooting tips.
Neusa Dias
June 11, 2020 at 3:52 pm (4 years ago)You are extremely talented … and also very generous in making your projects available. This carousel is beautiful to use at a children’s party. Congratulations and thank you.
Mandee
June 12, 2020 at 11:06 am (4 years ago)Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoy my designs!!
Monique
June 11, 2020 at 8:50 pm (4 years ago)I am trying to assemble this and having a hard time with the column. Is the top piece suppose to be smaller than the bottom piece. I can’t get the bottom piece into the top column piece? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
Helen J Roberts
June 12, 2020 at 4:31 am (4 years ago)I am not sure but it looks like the bottom column piece has tabs that you glue inside the top column piece. The top doesn’t actually go inside the bottom piece, just the tabs. Hope this helps. I am a big fan of this talented person and love all the designs she makes. Enjoy!
Mandee
June 12, 2020 at 11:13 am (4 years ago)Yes to everything Helen just said! The top column piece attaches the the tabs of the bottom column section (it kind of looks like it slips inside, but it doesn’t). I’ll be uploading a video tutorial soon, so hopefully that will help if you are still having any difficulties. 🙂
MONIQUE
June 12, 2020 at 5:15 pm (4 years ago)Thank you, I thought it slipped inside. I can’t wait to put it next to the ferris wheel I made.
Andrea L Clark
June 11, 2020 at 10:31 pm (4 years ago)Oh my – this is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your talent. Maybe someday I will get caught up with my other projects and try our your 3-D papercrafted pieces (Small World!).
Mandee
June 12, 2020 at 11:11 am (4 years ago)Thanks Andrea!! They are a lot of fun to make. 😊
sharlene
June 12, 2020 at 4:06 am (4 years ago)Amazing work as always. Such an awesome talented person. Thank you for sharing
Mandee
June 12, 2020 at 11:11 am (4 years ago)Aww, thank you Sharlene!!
Michele
June 12, 2020 at 2:04 pm (4 years ago)Such a fun project – so creative and beautifully designed! Thank you for sharing this. I think I’ll be building a theme park soon!
Mandee
June 13, 2020 at 5:58 pm (4 years ago)Thanks so much! Have fun adding to your collection!! 😊
Sandra A. de Vargas
June 13, 2020 at 3:16 pm (4 years ago)Tudo que vc faz é tão lindo e perfeito! muito mágico… Obrigada por compartilhar vc é linda e que o Pai Celestial te abençoe sempre!
Mandee
June 13, 2020 at 5:58 pm (4 years ago)Thank you so much Sandra! You are too kind! ❤️
Ivette
June 19, 2020 at 12:25 am (4 years ago)I love this!
But I cannot get the svg top open up with my design space.
i’m using the svg with the score line and the one that says with no score line.
Ivette
June 19, 2020 at 12:29 am (4 years ago)nevermind!! i got it!!
Mandee
June 19, 2020 at 12:00 pm (4 years ago)Oh good! Glad you got everything figured out! 😊
Jennifer Cooley
August 31, 2022 at 8:04 pm (2 years ago)I am having trouble with this one and the Ferris Wheel. I can add score lines to almost all of the swing one till the last 2 and the Ferris wheel even though I selected it all and ungroup, it goes one color. I’m so bummed, tried these all day 🙁 I love how they turn out so was hoping to make these two to add to my carousel
Mandee
September 5, 2022 at 8:50 pm (2 years ago)Hi there! Sorry you are having trouble. The Ferris Wheel design is one of my older files, and, admittedly, I wasn’t quite as good at setting up my 3D files perfectly back then. I think what is going wrong is that you need to ungroup the buggies one more time before attaching the score lines. They are currently grouped together with some of the other pieces in the file, and that is what is causing issues. Once they are ungrouped, select just the score lines and the buggy shape and hit “attach.”
Hope that helps!
Jennifer L Cooley
September 6, 2022 at 4:19 pm (2 years ago)Hi! Replying back to the email you sent me on the Ferris wheel. For some reason the colors are still disappearing even though I did what you said. I have tried so many ways to do this and just cannot get it to take. IT also doesn’t have the “green” so Im having to figure out what is supposed to be score (and yes, I downloaded the score lines one) I am so sorry to bug you again with this but really hoping to add this to my other rides! I made the haunted house yesterday with no problems! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mandee
September 11, 2022 at 4:40 pm (2 years ago)Hi Jennifer.
Sorry you are still having trouble! My Ferris Wheel design just has grey lines. I hadn’t stared marking them with that bright green back then. So it can be a little harder to distinguish, sorry.
And if you’re regrouping the carts (twice), before attaching the score lines, then I’m really not sure why it would be altering the colors. My apologies!
sara Long
July 15, 2023 at 10:21 pm (10 months ago)what size is the swing ride
Mandee
July 20, 2023 at 12:17 pm (10 months ago)If you make it in the same size as I did, it will be about 10″ tall and 6.5″ wide. 🙂
Rose
November 9, 2023 at 4:52 am (6 months ago)Eres una artista!!!!!!!!!
muchisimas gracias por compartir tu trabajo, te queremosss!!!!
Mandee
November 9, 2023 at 9:34 am (6 months ago)Aww, thank you for your kind words! You are too kind. 🥰