Fun
How to fold an origami butterfly
Fold a simple origami butterfly from the waterbomb base: fold up the top wings, lock the body with a small triangle and shape the wings.
Butterfly
Intermediateabout 6 minutes9 stepsPaper: Square, 15 cm (6 in); patterned paper shows off the wings
Start with the white side up. Fold in half corner to corner both ways and unfold.
Swipe the diagram or use the ← → keys. Space plays and pauses.
Paper colour
Print all steps
2 pages, six steps to a page, in the paper colour you picked.
Reading the diagrams
- - - valley fold (towards you) · -·-· mountain fold (away) · thin grey lines are creases already made. Arrows show where the paper goes; a hollow arrow means push in.
All steps
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See every model with a difficulty filter on origami instructions.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a waterbomb base?
A waterbomb base is a triangle with two flaps on each side, made by creasing a square along both diagonals in one direction and along both midlines in the other, then collapsing it. It is the start of the butterfly, the traditional waterbomb balloon and many other models.
Why won't my paper collapse into the triangle?
The creases need to go in opposite directions. Crease the diagonals with the coloured side up, turn the paper over and crease the midlines, then push the sides in along the horizontal crease while bringing the top down. Sharp creases make the collapse much easier.
How do I make the wings stand up?
Fold the finished butterfly in half down the middle, crease the body firmly, then open it again to about a right angle. The wings lift on either side of the raised body.
What size paper should I use?
Laid flat, the butterfly is as wide as the paper, so a 15 cm (6 in) square makes one about 15 cm across, a little less once the wings are raised. Smaller paper makes butterflies for cards, and larger paper is easier for small hands.
What can I do with origami butterflies?
Stick them on a wall or a window in a swarm, hang them from thread as a mobile, add them to cards or gift wrap, or fold them from paper printed with a pattern for colourful wings.
About this tool
This origami butterfly is a small, elegant model folded from the waterbomb base. After the collapse, the front flaps become the upper wings, the top point folds down and back to form the body, and a final fold down the middle lets the wings lift. It takes about five minutes and makes a great step up from the very first models.
Each step is an animated diagram in standard notation. The collapse into the waterbomb base is built from the model's real crease pattern, so you can see exactly how the four flaps fold in, and every later fold is animated as the paper would really move.
Pick a paper colour to match your sheet, play the sequence with Play all or step through it at your own pace, and print all the steps as a PDF for US Letter or A4. Patterned paper, gift wrap or old maps all make striking butterflies.