Scherenschnitte is the art of cutting decorative patterns

​Scherenschnitte ("scissor cuts" in German), is making patterns by cutting paper with scissors. Also fin blades are used and often other tricks such as pins and cotton or dental floss are used to achieve crisp fine edges.

Paper was invented only around A.D. 100 in China and paper cutting became very popular there at the time of the Sung Dynasty (10th - 13th century). The cutouts were used for decoration such as on windows, pasted on lanterns or house door adornments. 
 
These can be made as white cut outs and glued onto colored or black background, or cut out of black paper card. In Europe white cut work is much older than black.
 
While you can buy special paper cutting paper that is gummed and without gum or rubberized paper that has a black and white side of the sheet. The white side has a light adhesive so you can moisten it with water to fix it to the final place. You can also get super sharp silhouette scissors for the silhouette cuts, corners, fine filigree and holes. But you don’t need to buy these special things, since sharp nail scissors will work well and the choice of paper need not be too thick.
 
Cut out the white template and then put it on the black paper, stencil around the template with a pencil on the black paper and then cut out the black. While time consuming, it is very relaxing and rewarding.