Summer Street Carnival from Svgcuts

  

I had so much fun making this wonderful project designed by Svgcuts.com. It was a huge undertaking because there are so many pieces.  It took 32 mats (28 pieces of cardstock) in all to create this 14 inch moveable ferris wheel.

Both the stand and the wheel are identical cuts stacked on top of one another so that they are durable enough to support the cars. The beams that hold each car and the center beam that holds the ferris wheel are cut from a painted wooden dowel.

Assembling the ferris wheel is relatively easy.  I used Scotch Quick Dry Tacky Adhesive so I was able to move rather quickly.  That said, adhering each of the ferris wheel layers was a little tricky because you have to apply glue on each and every section or else the naked areas will buckle taking away from the strength of the structure.  Applying glue on every surface quickly enough so that the beginning area isn't dry by the time you finish, is a challenge - especially with Scotch Quick Dry.  You have to move fast and be as accurate as possible and when you stack one layer on top of the other you have to be mindful of matching the edges because the glue might take hold before you are able to slide it into position.

A few tips from my experience:

• The instructions say to cut the beams (from the dowel) 2 inches- I recommend 2.5.  2 inches is a little too snug so the cars don't swing smoothly.
• Use chipboard for a couple of your supports and wheel cuts to add additional strength.
• The size for the tickets strip (ticket bottom) is off on the pdf menu.  It says the strand should be 4.2".  This is way too short if you are going to put the other layers on top.  I cut mine at 11".  I suggest playing with them on your mat to make sure they fit correctly.
• Ink your edges.  I didn't and wish I had.  I was able to sneak some ink on the car panels but I think that inking all of the elements would really make everything pop.