Origami Bow

This is a nice origami bow that you can fold to accessorize your gift box during the holiday season or any special occasion. We consider this an intermediate origami.

This origami bow is not a traditional origami. It requires several cuts. But there is an interesting step during the folding process and the end result is cute, so we just couldn't resist.

Origami Bow Step 1: Start by making an origami square base with the color on the inside. This is a commonly used base in origami and we've created a video (watch below) and a separate page of instructions for it.

Origami Square Base Video

We decided to use cardstock paper for this origami. It is thicker than origami paper which can make it harder to fold but it wasn't too bad.

You should have the following to start with.

Origami Bow Step 2: Fold down the top tip by about 2 cm or ~ 1 inch. Crease well and unfold.

Origami Bow Step 3: Our next step is to make the sink fold . This is a technique used in origami and we've created a separate page of instructions for it so please refer to that page.

To make the sink fold, first open the paper back up. Recrease the paper with mountain and valley folds as indicated.

After recreasing the paper, you can proceed to collapse the paper again. Push the paper from the right and left sides.

When your sink fold is complete, the top tip will have "sunk" or disappeared. Your paper will now look like this.

Origami Bow Step 4: Starting from the top, fold the top layer both sides to meet in the center.

Origami Bow Step 5: Flip paper over and repeat Step 4 on this other side.

Origami Bow Step 6: Here comes a pretty cool step. Open the paper back up slowly.

Gently pull all 4 sides until the paper is completely open. You'll start to see a square in the center.

Press paper flat once it's completely open. See how a square has magically appear in the center? It's quite cool!

Origami Bow Step 7: Flip paper over.

Origami Bow Step 8: We now have to make 4 cuts. We've making the cuts on existing crease lines.

It is important to cut at the right place so please look carefully at the photos below.

Here's a closer look at the paper. The arrows are pointing to where you should cut the paper on both sides.

Repeat for the 2 cuts for the top half and rotate paper 90 degrees clock wise.

Origami Bow Step 9: Fold down the top half. If you've made the right cuts, then this step is easy.

Origami Bow Step 10: Make 2 diagonal folds on the right side.

Origami Bow Step 11: Make 2 diagonal folds on the left side.

Origami Bow Step 12: We've to make another cut. It's much clearer this time. Just cut along the vertical center crease. Make the cut through both layers of the paper.

Origami Bow Step 13: Now make a diagonal fold on each side of the paper.

Origami Bow Step 14: Fold the bottom tips up so that the bottom edges line up.

Origami Bow Step 15: Make a diagonal fold on each side.

Origami Bow Step 16: Flip paper over.

Origami Bow Step 17: Bring the right tip towards the center and tuck it into the center square.

Origami Bow Step 18: Tuck the left tip into the center square as well.

and your origami bow is complete!