Zig-Zag Village Tutorial

Zig Zag Village by 3dCuts.com, by Marji Roy, Cutting files in svg, dxf, png and pdf formats for use with Silhouette, Cricut and Brother cutting machines, paper crafting files, SVG Files

Project Description

Scroll down for link to video tutorial.

This tutorial is for the assembly of Zig Zag Village by 3Dcuts.com. Zig Zag village is a charming collection of buildings that can be lit with either tea lights, fairy lights or window light. But the surprising element of this village is that it easily folds flat for either storage or mailing. It is about 11" wide x 8" tall but can be quickly folded zig zag style to fit in a standard 6" x 9" booklet envelope. It comes complete with files for tiny wreaths to convert to a Christmas Village. Also included are bases for building in fairy lights as an option.

The assembly is easy basic 3d construction, although organization of all the tiny parts can be a challenge. Hints are provided below.

Supplies Needed:

Cutting File available at http://3dcuts.com/zig-zag-village from 3dcuts.com
8.5 x 11" card stock for buildings - I use Neenah Exact Index Card Stock 110 lbs from Amazon
8.5 " x 11" card stock in red and green for wreaths and the color of your choice for roofs - I used the 65lb Cardstock from Recollections available at Michael's.
Adhesive - 1/4" and 1/8" Scor-Tape
Art Glitter Glue
Zig 2-way Glue
Optional lighting - tea lights or fairy lights

Major Parts Sizes:

Church row - 10.0569" w x 7.6917" h
Store row - 10.0656" w x 3.9222" h
Left end - 4.8431" w x 3.8069" h
Right end - 4.8431" w x 3.6208" h
Details 1-5 grouped - 10.2972" w x 6.0972" h
Details 6-14 grouped - 9.9639" w x 7.3792" h
Roof Details grouped - 9.9139" w x 7.825" h
Small light base - 3.7569" w x 2.7097" h
Large light base - 4.7569" w x 3.9625"h

Links to supplies on Amazon:

Many but not all of the supplies I use come from Amazon. Here are affiliate links to those supplies.

Steps for completing the Zig Zag Village:

Special Note: I update the instructions online. Check at http://3dcuts.com/zig-zag-village-tutorial for adjustments and additional information. Don't just rely on the pdf file that comes with the download. Learned hints and corrections are added to the the online tutorial. I'll also add photos submitted by other crafters for additional ideas.

1. Download the cutting files for your cutting machine at http://3dcuts.com/zig-zag-village from the 3dcuts.com store.

2. Load the files into your cutting software following the steps for your cutting machine.

3. Prepare the files:.

For the Silhouette: The SVG files from this site will need to be turned into cutting files. Click here for detailed steps on how to use SVG files on your Silhouette. http://www.3dcuts.com/tutorial-upload-svg-silhouette
DXF files can be opened in the basic edition of Silhouette Design Studio but often require modifications. I recommend using the Designer Edition and using svg files.
For Cricut Explore: Here is a guide for importing into Cricut Design Space. http://www.3dcuts.com/tutorial-adding-3dcuts-files-to-cricut. Be sure to attach parts before cutting.
For Brother ScanNCut: The svg files will need to be transferred to files for your particular machine. You can change SVG files to FCM files at http://www.canvasworkspace.com/ or Google "How to import SVG files into a ScanNCut" for links to tutorials.

4. Cut the files.

All pieces are cut from card stock.
Below is a layout of the various pieces you will be cutting out. There are many pieces and organization will a main focus.
The files will download organized into groupings that will fit on 8.5 x 11" card stock.
The colors shown below are for organizational purposes only. All items that are similarly colored go together. They should not be cut from that color! There are also numbers to help you in identifying the location for the small pieces. The numbers will cut and can be discarded after construction.
I didn't have the numbers on the cutting when I completed the video tutorial so you won't see them in the tutorial.
I recommend you leave all of the detail pieces on the mat until you adhere them to each location piece by piece. I used 3 mats. If you only have 1 mat then cut all the building parts first. Cut and adhere the roof pieces. Then cut the windows for 1-5 and adhere those. Then cut the windows for 6-14 and adhere those.
The roof pieces have all been arranged on one sheet so you can cut all those from a contrasting color together if that is you design choice. Remove the wreath and bow pieces to be cut from green and red. Those are optional.
I cut all buildings from white card stock. That isn't a requirement.
The lighting bases are optional. You only need to cut these if you are planning to install fairy lights.
I use the cut dotted line for score lines. Fold along these.if your cutting machine can score then you can easily remove the dashed lines and instead add score lines.

Star Light Pillars by 3dCuts.com,  by Marji Roy, Cutting files in svg, dxf, png and pdf formats for use with Silhouette, Cricut and Brother cutting machines, paper crafting files, SVG Files

Hints on cutting details:

Use a good blade. I have found the Silhouette Premium blade to be well worth the money for those of you using Silhouette.
A mat in good condition is also important. I use the Nicapa mats from Amazon - Nicapa Cutting Mat (Affiliate Link).
If your mat and blade are good then all the little windows will cut well and come out easily.

5. Assembly

The assembly steps are detailed in the video below. Here is the url. https://youtu.be/FRRVZGpFSoo

Do you prefer to work from photographs? If so, here is a quick photo tutorial of the assembly process.

1. Cut all the files according to the instructions above.

2. Add wax paper to all windows in all of the building liners.

Each building has a liner with holes cut for the windows.
Put a thin line of glue around each window opening, cover all with a piece of wax paper (vellum could be used), then use an xacto blade to cut around the window. Peel away the extra. Do this to all 13 building backing pieces. The liners will be adhered r to the back side of each building. The wax paper should be between the two so the edges don't show.

Pay attention to the two end pieces. What is front and back will alternate. On the two long building pieces the front side is the same for all buildings. On the two ends it is different. Fold the pieces. The one on the left (one tree) the part with two buildings will show front on one side and the part with one building and a tree will show front on the other. You need to alternate which side gets the liner. I found it easiest to fold the pieces, temporarily put them in place and pencil in a B on the backsides.

Adhere each building liner piece with wax paper to the back side of each building. Do this to all buildings making sure you don't cover the fold lines.
There is a slot in building 6 that isn't in its liner piece. Re-cut that.

3. Add details.

It is time to start adding the details. First add the center portion to the church. There is one for both sides. This is for strength. Only the church tower has details on both sides.
I used a Xyron X for adding adhesive to the small pieces.

Next add all the roof parts to the church row. The church steeple will have a roof on both sides. All other buildings only have roofs on one side. I used Art Glitter glue for this step. Match the roofs to the image to the right.

Add roofs on the store row as well.

Add the roofs to both ends making sure you pay attention to the changing front and back.

Working one building row at a time, start adding the details - window frames and doors.
I used the Xyron X for adhesive on these parts.

Each door is two levels. The trim work gets applied on top of its corresponding frame aligning bottoms.
After combining door parts, adhere them to the front of the corresponding building. I included a guide sheet with numbers in the download file to help with placement.
Adhere window frames as well. The thicker window sash goes on the bottom of each window. The frames are slightly larger than the windows.

There are two buildings with porches - building 3 on the church row and building 9 on the store row.
The porches line up with the bottom. Shorter doors go in the center space.
There are no window frames on the porch windows.
You may choose to put a contrasting roof on the porch or not.

Below is a view of the church row with all the details applied.

Repeat on the store row as well.
Make the doors, add the doors, window frames and porch details.

Repeat on the left and right ends paying attention to front and backs.

4. Connecte the village parts together.

The church row and the store row each fold on the dotted line and slide together lining up the notches. You may need to lengthen the notes for a good fit. You want the bottom edges to line up.

Next add the left and right ends.
Fold the main part to be flat.
Flod in the tabs on one end.
The back tab goes behind the back row and gets adhered in place. I used score-tape here.
The front tab is folded in behind the front row and adhered in place.
If you do this while the village is folded flat, this piece will align properly.
Repeat on the second end.

Fold the two trees on the double dotted line.
Apply adhesive between the dotted lines and adhere to the front of the two trees on the end panels.
Not all trees get doubled up - only the two on the front.

Combine the wreath and bow and add to doors.
Your village is complete unless you want to add fairy lights.....

5. To add fairy lights:

First, using a hole punch, punch a half circle out of the two X joints at the bottom of the assembled village.

The fairy lights will be held in place using the 3 light bases included.
Using a fairy light string with 20 lights ( link in supplies above) insert them into the holes of the base. Started at the narrow point of one of the small diamonds.
Insert a light up into each hole applying scotch tape to the bottom side to hold in place.
Snake out the opposite corner and repeat in the large diamond and then onto the other smaller diamond creating this string of lights and bases.

Press fit each base into the bottom of the village snaking the wire through the holes punched in the base.
If you want to remove and fold flat then just rely on the press fit or use removable scotch tape to temporally hold in place.

Your village is now complete. How many willl you make and who will you send them too?

Share!

Take photos of your finished project and share them to Pinterest, Facebook groups, and email them to me at marji@3dcuts.com. I like to share the creative things people do with my files here on the website.