How to Make an Origami Butterfly

Make this butterfly in bright colors to decorate a child's room, indoor plants or a spring centerpiece.

Things You'll Need

• White Paper
• White paper

Instructions

1. Follow steps 1 to 7 in "How to Make an Origami Pinwheel" (see Related eHows).

2. Fold the bottom left flap down as for the pinwheel, then repeat with the bottom right flap.

3. Fold in the left and right flap corners just enough to blunt the points. Crease.

4. Fold the top half under so that the top folded edge meets the bottom folded edge in back. Crease.

5. Fold in half so that the right point meets the left point. Crease. Unfold and turn over.

6. Grasp the butterfly at the top edge so that your thumbs are positioned close to and on either side of the center crease.

7. Push your left thumb down and your right thumb to the left simultaneously, so that the center crease is pushed just left of center.

8. Fold the center crease over just enough to allow the bottom flaps to separate slightly. Crease.

9. Fold the wings back toward you along the diagonal creases that run outward from the top center of the butterfly.

10. Fold back just enough so that the wings will angle upward when released.

Tips & Warnings

• Paper made especially for origami is available at most art and craft stores.

• Practice on plain, inexpensive paper until you have the techniques down.

• Unless otherwise noted, all creases should be made as sharply as possible. Sharp creases are needed to make later folds and will often be referred to as guidelines.