How to Make a Ship Out of Red Envelopes

Turn old envelopes into origami masterpieces.

Origami is a traditional Japanese paper craft. Paper in various sizes is folded into a sculpture that ranges from simple to extremely complex in design. Help the environment while creating origami masterpieces by recycling paper such as old envelopes to make your creations. An origami ship is one of many designs that can be made from a red envelope.

Things You'll Need

• Red envelope
• Ruler
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Open all sealed edges of the envelope and press all creases flat.

2. Measure the envelope with the ruler to determine how much of the envelope to trim to create an even rectangle. Trim excess paper and press the rectangle flat.

3. Turn the rectangle so that the longest sides are at the top and bottom. Fold the paper from top to bottom, lining up the opposite ends. Use your finger or the scissor tips to crease the fold.

4. Fold the paper from side to side, again lining up the opposite ends. Crease this fold as well. Unfold the paper once and place your index finger on the folded end of the crease.

5. Fold the top left tip diagonally so that it touches the crease in the middle. Crease the diagonal fold, and flip the paper over. Fold the opposite tip diagonally until it touches the middle crease. Crease this diagonal fold.

6. Fold one bottom flap toward the top, creasing the fold. Flip the paper over and repeat with the other bottom flap. Insert your thumbs into the middle of the paper and pull out, tucking in edges as necessary. Crease all folds to create a rhombus shape.

7. Place the open side down, and lift one bottom flap, bringing it up to touch the tip. Crease the fold and turn the rhombus over. Repeat with the other bottom flap to create a triangle shape. Insert your thumbs into the middle of the paper and pull out, again shaping the paper into a rhombus.

8. Hold the two outside tips and pull outward completely. Flatten the paper and crease all folds. Turn upside down, slide your fingers inside the paper, and pull gently to widen the base. Turn upright and place on a flat surface to make sure your ship can stand. If not, widen the base a little more.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a variety of art supplies to decorate your boat as desired.

• Vary the sizes of your envelopes to create boats of different sizes.

• Folds may become uneven if the envelope is not carefully measured at the beginning of the project.

References

• Paper Boat
• Folding a Paper Boat

Resources

• History of Origami