How to Make an Origami Paper Bow

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make an origami paper bow

How to Make an Origami Paper Bow

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Step 1 of 46

In this guide we will make a non-traditional (having to cut the paper) origami bow. 🎀

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Hobby Lobby was closed so I used card stock. It was a little tougher to fold but not too bad! You can use any kind of paper for these :)

Hobby Lobby was closed so I used card stock. It was a little tougher to fold but not too bad! You can use any kind of paper for these :)

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Fold a square piece of paper in half

Fold a square piece of paper in half

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Then unfold and halve again as kids say "hamburger and hotdog style".

Then unfold and halve again as kids say "hamburger and hotdog style".

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All squared up. Now flip the paper upside down.

All squared up. Now flip the paper upside down.

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Now fold diagonally

Now fold diagonally

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Unfold and fold diagonally again

Unfold and fold diagonally again

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It should look like this.

It should look like this.

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Bring all the corners together

Bring all the corners together

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And you have a square! YAY!

And you have a square! YAY!

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With the four corners facing you, fold the top down about an inch.

With the four corners facing you, fold the top down about an inch.

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Like so! Crease this really well. You can flip it to the other side to get a really good crease. U n fold everything.

Like so! Crease this really well. You can flip it to the other side to get a really good crease. U n fold everything.

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It should look like this. :)

It should look like this. :)

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Here's the hardest part. You must sink the little square into the rest of the paper.

Here's the hardest part. You must sink the little square into the rest of the paper.

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I pick up the creased box and fold my paper along the diagonal creases underneath it.

I pick up the creased box and fold my paper along the diagonal creases underneath it.

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Once you push it in it will look like an XBOX logo.

Once you push it in it will look like an XBOX logo.

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Now fold it flat. This photo isn't cropped, the little square you made is now inside the paper you're seeing.

Now fold it flat. This photo isn't cropped, the little square you made is now inside the paper you're seeing.

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Take the right side and fold the top corner into the middle crease.

Take the right side and fold the top corner into the middle crease.

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Like so! Repeat the left side.

Like so! Repeat the left side.

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You should have this! Now flip the paper and repeat on the back side

You should have this! Now flip the paper and repeat on the back side

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Now we have a triangle but it's a little different.

Now we have a triangle but it's a little different.

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Here's the fun part. Take the four corners and start pulling them gently apart.

Here's the fun part. Take the four corners and start pulling them gently apart.

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Pulling them apart evenly is important (so don't hold a camera with the other hand lol). Flatten the little square bubble.

Pulling them apart evenly is important (so don't hold a camera with the other hand lol). Flatten the little square bubble.

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It should look like a paper version of your Great Aunt Ruth's throw pillow. Flip it over.

It should look like a paper version of your Great Aunt Ruth's throw pillow. Flip it over.

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This is not traditional origami. You will now cut the paper. You will cut the outer most crease!

This is not traditional origami. You will now cut the paper. You will cut the outer most crease!

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See me cutting the outermost crease? Cut all four creases carefully.

See me cutting the outermost crease? Cut all four creases carefully.

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All cut up! Now take the top and fold it down!

All cut up! Now take the top and fold it down!

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Folding down!

Folding down!

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Now you'll take the exposed folds and fold it in. Match the edge of the paper to the middle crease so you get a point.

Now you'll take the exposed folds and fold it in. Match the edge of the paper to the middle crease so you get a point.

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Like so! Now repeat for the other side.

Like so! Now repeat for the other side.

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One side completed. Fold the left side in the same fashion.

One side completed. Fold the left side in the same fashion.

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Like this! It looks like a frog according to my niece 😝 Now grab the scissors.

Like this! It looks like a frog according to my niece 😝 Now grab the scissors.

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We're going to cut right down the frogs face. Lol. Cut BOTH sheets. If you're lazy you can cut them together but I'm a little OCD so I flip the frog over and cut it separately.

We're going to cut right down the frogs face. Lol. Cut BOTH sheets. If you're lazy you can cut them together but I'm a little OCD so I flip the frog over and cut it separately.

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All cut up! Now you have four frog face triangles.

All cut up! Now you have four frog face triangles.

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Fold the edge of the right triangles up to meet the crease. Here I'm folding the top triangle but you want to fold both on each the left and right side.

Fold the edge of the right triangles up to meet the crease. Here I'm folding the top triangle but you want to fold both on each the left and right side.

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It should look like this. See the edges folded up to the crease?

It should look like this. See the edges folded up to the crease?

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Now fold the little flappy up to make it a straight line.

Now fold the little flappy up to make it a straight line.

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On both sides.

On both sides.

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Now fold the outer ribbon part in. I found this step isn't really necessary but it makes the "ribbons" look cleaner.

Now fold the outer ribbon part in. I found this step isn't really necessary but it makes the "ribbons" look cleaner.

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And the other side.

And the other side.

Step 41 of 46
Optional: Secure with tape. Especially if you want it to lay flat and you have thick paper. Flip it over

Optional: Secure with tape. Especially if you want it to lay flat and you have thick paper. Flip it over

Step 42 of 46
You see the bow? Now the easiest part!

You see the bow? Now the easiest part!

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Curl the paper and tuck the point into the little square.

Curl the paper and tuck the point into the little square.

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Like so! And do the other side in the same fashion.

Like so! And do the other side in the same fashion.

Step 45 of 46
One pretty bow!

One pretty bow!

Step 46 of 46
Big bows are nice for big gifts! :)

Big bows are nice for big gifts! :)

Start Over

22 Comments
Supplies

Origami paper or square-shaped paper

Patience ;)

Sonal Garg

One of the best origami now tie ever! :)

Sonal Garg 2 weeks ago

amy wilson

i get lost when you start cutting what bit is cut from the other side it looks like im cutting the bow

amy wilson 3 months ago

Sheila Huynh

Add video please

Sheila Huynh 3 months ago

Robert Pownall

This was so good it features in my guide "how to save a snap guide to an iOS device"! Great work!

Robert Pownall 3 months ago

❤Holly Sutherland😊

Yeah add videos and it would be much easier to follow!!!

❤Holly Sutherland😊 3 months ago

Bella Shine

Maybe add videos?

Bella Shine 3 months ago

Sarah Says

Love this! Just did a practice bow and I love the way it turned out. Awesome and super-concise directions.

Sarah Says 4 months ago

Cristina R🌷

Thanks so much for the guide! It took me a little while but now I can make them for everything 🎀❤

Cristina R🌷 4 months ago

Bibiana Ortiz

Just did this for my friend's birthday present and it look so cute! Thanks!

Bibiana Ortiz 8 months ago

Bolong Zhu

Wonderful

Bolong Zhu 11 months ago

Non T

This is soooooooo pretty!!!!!

Non T 11 months ago

Caitlin Hoang

i can´t understand the steps

Caitlin Hoang 11 months ago

Elise T

They are so cute and addictive!! After I figured it out I made 5 for fun haha

Elise T 11 months ago

Gamy Hernandez

I bet they'll probably think it was really difficult too and think you are just being modest when saying it was easy.

Gamy Hernandez 11 months ago

Catherine Weiss

Lol thank you! It's badass on presents. People will think you're really cool!

(author) 11 months ago

Gamy Hernandez

I don't like this... I LOVE it. I am going to try it immediately. Thanks so much.

Gamy Hernandez 11 months ago

Holly 🐢

Thanks :)

Holly 🐢 11 months ago

Catherine Weiss

Bringing the corners together is kind of hard! Once everything is nicely folded, when you go along the folds it will either make a diamond or a triangle. You might be stuck getting a triangle. Just make sure you bring the four corners together.

(author) 11 months ago

Holly 🐢

I'm really stuck on Step 9! 😓

Holly 🐢 11 months ago

Ted Lui

That was awesome!

Ted Lui 11 months ago

Karo Gonzalez

Real nice

Karo Gonzalez 11 months ago

🐾Pollo 🐾

Cool!

🐾Pollo 🐾 11 months ago

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Holly 🐢

Thanks :)

Holly 🐢 11 months ago

Emily Link

Don't use the diagonal fold lines, start with one "square" on the bottom, stack squares on top of it counter clockwise was easiest for me.

Emily Link 11 months ago

Holly 🐢

Confuddled! When I bring the corners together it looks like a triangle! Help please :)

Holly 🐢 11 months ago

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❤Holly Sutherland😊

Really hard!!

❤Holly Sutherland😊 3 months ago

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