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How to Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower

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With one piece of paper and some clever folding, you can make a delicate origami lotus flower. Here's how to do it.

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1
Start with a square sheet of paper. Using scrapbook paper, with a print on one side and plain white on the other, can be a fun way to watch your folds evolve.

http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8d/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-1-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-1-preview.jpg

http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8d/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-1-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-1-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/b/be/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 1 Version 2.360p.mp4
- To make a letter-size piece of paper a square, orient it lengthwise, grab the top right corner, and pull it over to the left side of the paper. Make sure the edges of the paper line up, and fold. Cut off the bottom rectangle, and you'll have a square.
2
Fold two opposite corners of the square together. Crease the square, then unfold.

http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8f/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-2-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-2-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8f/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-2-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-2-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/1/12/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 2 Version 2.360p.mp4
3
Fold the other two opposite corners of the square together. Again, crease the square, then unfold. You should have two perpendicular creases running through your square and meeting in the middle. This middle point will be your guide for the next step.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/b/be/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-3-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-3-preview.jpg

http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/b/be/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-3-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-3-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/d/d6/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 3 Version 2.360p.mp4
4
Fold the corners up to the center. Grab a corner, and place it so that its point lies directly over the "middle" of the two creases you just created in the center of the square. Fold down. Do this for each corner.

http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/7/71/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-4-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-4-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/7/71/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-4-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-4-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/b/b6/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 4 Version 2.360p.mp4
5
Fold the new corners up to the center. Since the last step resulted in a smaller square, you now have "new" corners. Fold these up to the center one by one, as you did in the last step.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/b/bc/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-5-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-5-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/b/bc/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-5-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-5-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/1/1a/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 5 Version 2.360p.mp4
6
Fold the corners up to the center again.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/7/75/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-6-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-6-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/7/75/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-6-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-6-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/4/40/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 6 Version 2.360p.mp4
7
Flip your square over. You should now be on a side that has no visible folds on top.

http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/c/c1/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-7-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-7-preview.jpg

http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/c/c1/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-7-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-7-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/7/7c/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 7 Version 2.360p.mp4
8
Fold the corners up to the center.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/3/37/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-8-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-8-preview.jpg

http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/3/37/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-8-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-8-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/2/2f/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 8 Version 2.360p.mp4
9
Grab each corner and fold it about half of the way to the center. This time, you don't want the corners to go all the way to the center (and you probably couldn't get them there anyway---your folds should be pretty thick and difficult to crease by now). Fold the last corners up as far as you can - between one-third and one-half of the way to the center is sufficient.

http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/d6/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-9-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-9-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/d6/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-9-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-9-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/2/23/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 9 Version 2.360p.mp4
10
Pull up your first petals. Keeping the square oriented so that you can see the last folds you did, feel around the bottom of the square for the top layer of flaps. You're going to gently pull these up and around the half folds you did in Step 9. Move slowly and gently, and try not to tear the paper. You may have to slightly "unfold" the lotus to get the petals to come up. When you're finished, the flap you grabbed from the bottom should be nearly vertical. Do this four all four flaps.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/1/13/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-10-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-10-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/1/13/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-10-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-10-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/1/10/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 10 Version 2.360p.mp4
11
Pull up the next round of petals. Again, grab the flaps on the bottom and gently lift them up.

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/5/5e/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-11-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-11-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/5/5e/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-11-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-11-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/7/75/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 11 Version 2.360p.mp4
12
Pull up the last round of petals. Once again, grab the flaps on the bottom and gently fold them upward. These petals will be closer to horizontal than vertical, and they might be the most difficult ones to fold without tearing.

http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/2/2c/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-12-preview.jpg/550px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-12-preview.jpg

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/2/2c/Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-12-preview.jpg/240px-Make-a-Simple-Origami-Lotus-Flower-Step-12-preview.jpg

http://d5kh2btv85w9n.cloudfront.net/0/08/Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower Step 12 Version 2.360p.mp4

Edit Video

Edit Tips

Give the lotus to someone for a simple, yet sweet gift.
Be patient. Crease your folds carefully, and expect to try a few lotuses before you get the technique down.
Its easier to make a large lotus than a small one. Starting with a larger square of paper makes the final folds less delicate.
Try it in different colors and sizes, but don't make it too small.

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