Papier Origami Patterns

2. Follow the instructions. Origami can get complicated, so read through the instructions completely before beginning your project. The more you study and understand, the more likely it is to come out just right.

3. Practice first: Expect to have to try a project a couple of times before you get it right. If you have special paper you don't want to waste, do a practice run with scrap paper.

4. Make sure your folds are well creased. Run your fingers along each fold to ensure proper creasing. Proper creases make it much easier to get the desired results.

5. Make sure your folds are precise. In addition to being well creased, your folds should be as precise as possible. Take care and time to ensure folds are done evenly and precisely, so that it's easier to execute subsequent folds too.

6. Have fun with paper. Traditional origami paper has two different sides. Some are solid colors and some are patterns. Try out different papers for different results.

There are a lot of different folds in origami, but the two basic ones to understand are the valley fold and mountain fold. The difference between these two folds is actually quite simple.

Amazingly enough a valley fold looks forms a valley. Cool huh?

It is simply a way to explain whether you should fold paper forward (valley) or fold the paper back (mountain).

Now you're ready to start your first project. Just remember to be patient and most importantly, have fun! I suggest you start simple. You don't want to have too much trouble with your first project and run the risk of forming a negative opinion. Give yourself a chance. Start simple and learn to love it.

This is a very easy origami project. It's a 2-dimensional tulip with a stem. Even the very newest of beginners should be able to do this one.

If you already do Origami, you'll recognize that this is a project that will get you used to the proper folding technique. Great practice at following instructions and an easily accomplished project so you can feel good about it. Enjoy this. be meticulous about your folds and be proud of the outcome. Step by step Pictures follow.

Step 1:
Start with a square piece of paper on a diagonal and fold the paper in half, making a triangle shape.

Step 2:
Then fold it again, bringing the right bottom tip to the left bottom tip.

Once you're done, open this fold back up, as shown below:

Step 3:
Now, you're going to bring the right bottom tip over to the left as you can see below. The tip will expand past the left side of the paper and that's good. It is going to form the appearance of petals on your flower.

Now do the same fold with the left bottom tip.

Step 4:
Now you're going to create the inside color of your flower, by folding down the top layer of the very top tip down an inch or so.

Step 5:
To make your stem, start by folding your paper into a triangle to the right

Then unfold it back to a square

Step 6:
Now, you can take the top right of the paper and fold it down to the middle crease you just made.

Do the same on the left side.

Step 7:
Now fold the left side of the entire paper shape over to the right side.

Step 8:
Now, to make the appearance of a leaf on the stem, you're going to fold the bottom tip up. The fold will appear as shown below:

And once it's folded, it will look like this:

Step 9:
Now it's time to put your stem and flower together.

If you want to make it permanent, you can glue your stem and flower together and then attach a magnet to the back.