An origami tulip is one of the friendliest first folds there is. You need two squares of paper, no glue, and about ten minutes. Maggy Woodley of Red Ted Art folds the flower head from one square and a stem with a leaf from another, and the finished tulip even stands up on its own.
How to make an origami tulip: the short version
- Fold a small square into a triangle and crease the other diagonal too.
- Fold the two side corners up to make the petals, then tuck the corners behind.
- Fold a larger green square into a kite, then narrow it twice into a thin stem.
- Fold the stem in half and pull it open a little to make the leaf.
- Snip a tiny hole in the flower and slide it onto the stem.
What paper to use
Maggy uses a 12 cm square for the flower and a 15 cm square for the stem. In inches that is close to a 4.5 inch square and a 6 inch square. The stem paper has to be bigger, or the flower looks like it is sitting on a toothpick.
Standard origami paper works well because it is thin and holds a crease. Printer paper is fine for practice, but it gets stiff when you fold the stem four times. Pick a bright colour for the head and any green for the stem. If your paper is coloured on one side only, start with the coloured side down.
Getting crisp folds
Line the corners up first, hold them with one finger, then press the crease from the middle out to the edges. Run a thumbnail along it after. The stem is where neat folding matters most. Each fold doubles the thickness, so a sloppy first fold turns into a lumpy, crooked stem by the end.
Take extra care at the pointed tip of the kite. That point becomes the top of the stem, and it has to be slim enough to slide into the flower.
Ways to use your paper tulips
- Cards. Glue a flower head to the front of a card and draw the stem, as Maggy suggests. It pairs well with a Mother's Day card.
- A bouquet. Fold six or seven in mixed colours and stand them in a small jar.
- Spring table. Line them along a windowsill or use them as place cards with a name written on the leaf.
- A garden of paper flowers. Mix them with other paper flowers or an origami lotus for a fuller display.
New to folding? The basics in how to make origami cover the terms and the valley and mountain folds you will see in other models.
Folding with kids
This is a good one to do side by side with a grandchild. The flower head is quick enough to hold a young child's attention, and older kids can manage the stem with a little help. You do the snip with the scissors. A small hole is plenty.
Common mistakes
- Petals that look uneven. Fold the second corner at a slightly different angle from the first. The tulip looks more natural that way, not less.
- A stem too thick to fold. Use thinner paper, or stop after one narrowing fold per side.
- The flower slides down the stem. The hole is too big. Fix it with a small piece of tape.
- The tulip will not stand. Open the leaf out a little more so it acts as a foot.
