How to Fold an Origami Butterfly

Here's a crafty little project the papercrafters among you will LOVE – how to create an origami butterfly! This fantastic origami step-by-step is the perfect way to unleash your creativity on just a single square of paper… nothing else required! You could work with a plain colour, a double-sided sheet, a pretty print or something else entirely, and once you bring it to life, you could use your pretty papercraft butterfly to create fun spring home decor, to add interest to card fronts and gift tags, to produce a beautiful butterfly mobile… the possibilities are endless! Read Carla Bagshaw's origami how-to below, and get folding!

You Will Need:

Just a square piece of paper – how fabulous is that?!

Origami Butterfly How To:

Step 1:

Place the square of paper on a flat surface (with the side you do NOT want to show on the butterfly facing upwards). Fold the paper diagonally, point to point, pushing across the fold with your nail or a boning tool. Repeat this step on the opposite diagonal so you have a cross in the centre of your paper.

Step 2:

Open up the square of paper and now fold it in half, edge to edge, making sure the crease is crisp. Repeat at the other side so that you have a star of creases on the opened square of paper.

Step 3:

Turn the paper over so that it is now right side up. On either side of the square you will see a large triangle, (the point at the centre and the creases going to the corners of the paper) there will be a crease in the centre of this triangle. The centre crease should be popped inwards with the edges of the triangle pushing outwards and coming together, this should be repeated on both sides so that  a single triangle of paper is left visible.

Step 4:

With the long edge of the triangle at the top and the point towards you, take the first layer at the right-hand side and pull it down toward the centre point (it will overlap slightly at the bottom) and crease well. Repeat the step on the opposite side. When this step is done, turn the paper over.

Step 5:

With the long edge of the triangle still at the top, take the central point at the bottom and gently pull it up above the long edge of the triangle, and bend it over, creasing well. Turn the butterfly over and pinch the top central piece that you have just bent over in half, pinching forcefully (this will hold the whole piece together so it needs to be pinched well).

Step 6:

You can use a boning tool (or your fingers) on each wing to gently curl and shape the wings to add depth and dimension to the finished piece.

Get creative, and make the butterflies using small or large squares of paper in any pattern you like! They create beautiful wall art, can be framed and given as gifts, or can be added as embellishments to cards. Try adding extra embellishments to the origami butterflies themselves, to make the pieces even more unique!

Step by Step Tutorial Video:

Fancy putting this project to the test to see if you now know how to make an origami butterfly? Grab yourself some pretty paper, and start folding!

Are you a beginner to origami? This fab little Origami Kit is the perfect place to start!

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As our content marketing executive in charge of the Create and Craft blog, Lisa loves nothing more than writing about all things craft. 'When I'm not at work, you'll find me attempting a wonky crochet project, playing with watercolours or trying my hand at the latest awesome craft tutorial to cross my desk!'

How to Fold an Origami Butterfly

Source: https://blog.createandcraft.tv/origami-butterfly-how-to/

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