Folding a rose is a medium difficulty origami project that results in a beautiful, decorative flower. It all starts with a simple square that is carefully folded into a spiral pattern. The rose comes together in four petals tightly twisted around the square base. After creating the first one, we recommend that you make others to compose an entire bouquet of these beautiful paper roses.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Creating the Basic Folds
Step 1. Get a square piece of paper
This paper rose starts with a simple square, as is the case with most origami projects. Choose the color you want, as long as the two sides are of different colors or textures. Glossy paper makes the rose more realistic.
Step 2. Fold the paper in half (start with the colored side up, the white side down)
Bring the bottom edge of the paper up to meet the top edge. Go over the fold with your fingers, from the center out.
In the world of origami, this fold is called a "valley" because it creates a small hollow in the paper. Almost all origami projects start with a valley fold or its opposite, the mountain fold, which creates a bump
Step 3. Unfold the card
By opening the fold, you will notice that you have created a horizontal line in the center of the paper.
Orient the fold horizontally, with the red side down
Step 4. Fold the bottom half in half
Align the underside of the paper with the horizontal crease in the center.
Go over the new crease with your fingers
Step 5. Fold the top half in half
I bring the top edge to meet the horizontal crease.
Go over the new crease with your fingers
Step 6. Unfold the card
There are now three horizontal folds in the paper that create four equal sections.
Step 7. Fold the bottom in three quarters
With the red side down, create a crease halfway between the first and second from the bottom of the paper, bringing the bottom edge up.
- Go over the new crease with your fingers.
- If you did this correctly, the bottom side of the paper should line up with the fold closest to the top.
- You can explain the fold you just made to check it is right. However, be sure to fold it again before moving on with the project.
Step 8. Fold the bottom right corner inward
Take the bottom right corner (formed by the bottom crease) and create a diagonal crease at 45 °. The corner should fold up, so a small portion of the right side of the paper lines up with the nearest crease.
Step 9. Unfold the card
You should see four horizontal folds. Of the four original zones, the second from the bottom should be divided in half by one of the horizontal folds. Also, in this same area, you should see two small diagonal folds on the right side.
Of these diagonal folds, one should go up at a 45 ° angle from the horizontal fold, and the other down at the same angle
Step 10. Mark the creases
Using a pen or pencil, draw lines along the folds.
Step 11. Rotate the paper 180 degrees and repeat
Turn the paper so that the top becomes the bottom. Then repeat steps 7 to 10.
Step 12. Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat
Turn the card a quarter of a turn, then repeat steps 2 to 10.
Step 13. Rotate the paper 180 degrees and repeat
Turn the card half a turn, then repeat steps 7 to 10.
Part 2 of 5: Practice Diagonal Folds
Step 1. Fold the paper in half diagonally
With the red side still down, take the bottom right corner and bring it to meet the top left corner. Go over the fold with your fingers.
Step 2. Unfold the card
Open it to reveal a new diagonal crease.
Step 3. Fold the paper on the opposite diagonal
Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat the previous two steps.
Step 4. Unfold the paper
Open it to reveal two diagonal folds that form an "X" in the paper.
Step 5. Fold the top left corner
In each corner of the card, you should see a small square divided by a single diagonal fold. Take the top left corner and fold it inwards, creating a crease perpendicular to the original diagonal one.
The corner of the paper should line up with the lower right corner of the small square
Step 6. Unfold the paper and mark any new creases you have formed
You should now see a small "X" in the upper left corner. Draw a line along the new fold.
Step 7. Fold the bottom right corner up to the new line
Take that corner and bring it to touch the new line you drew in the previous step.
This should create a new crease that runs parallel to one of the lines that make up the large "X", specifically the one running from bottom left to top right
Step 8. Unfold the card and mark
Draw a line along the new fold.
Step 9. Rotate and repeat
Rotate the paper 180 degrees and repeat the previous four steps.
You should now see three parallel lines from the bottom left corner of the card to the top right corner
Step 10. Rotate and repeat again
Turn the card 90 degrees and repeat steps 5 to 9 (from part 2).
When you're done, you should see three parallel lines running from bottom left to top right and three running from top left to bottom right
Part 3 of 5: Creating the Structure
Step 1. Fold the four corners
As in step 5 of part two, fold all four corners in. You shouldn't have to create any new folds to do this.
The end result will be an octagon
Step 2. Flip the card
The red side of the card should now be facing up.
Step 3. Locate the small triangle
Along the underside of the paper you should see a small folded triangle. It has a crease in the middle, giving it the appearance of two small triangles with a vertical side in common.
- If you have a hard time finding it, look for its right corner, which is where the bottom edge of the paper, which is horizontal, meets the right-most side, which is diagonal.
- If the little triangle is not there, check that you have done step 8 of the first part correctly.
Step 4. Create an inward reverse fold at the bottom
Near the bottom right corner of the card, you should see a folded triangle, made with two smaller triangles that share a vertical side.
- Fold the center crease, which bisects the triangle, inward (creating a small valley crease).
- At the same time, fold the outer sides to create reliefs (small mountain folds).
- This should create a notch in the side of the shape.
- Then, create an additional mountain fold along the fold extending from the tip of the triangle.
- This technique is called a reverse internal fold.
Step 5. Practice another reverse fold
In what was once the lower left corner, you'll need to fold another notch of a slightly different shape.
- Fold inward along the diagonal crease closest to the existing reverse crease, which runs perpendicular to the side of the octagon, pushing it inward.
- Gently push forward along the crease to create a valley crease.
- Then, as before, fold the sides of the triangle outwards, creating small bumps.
- Finally, create another valley crease, pushing in the closest horizontal crease that runs parallel to the horizontal side of your new notch.
- This last fold should run just past the center of the paper, creating one side of the small square that you can see marked on the other side of the paper.
Step 6. Rotate and repeat
Turn the paper 90 degrees and repeat steps 3 and 4. Do this for the 3 remaining sides.
Part 4 of 5: Creating the Petals
Step 1. Valley fold the edge of each petal
Now that the basic structure of the rose is finished, it's time to work on the petals. As a first step, you will need to add a valley fold on the outer edge of each of them.
- If you look at your rose from above, you will notice that it has four long valleys that extend from a central square. On the right side of each of them is a large smooth surface. Take the edge of this surface and fold it inward.
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Specifically, take the three sides of the outer edge and fold them inward to form a small trapezoid.
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Step 2. Fold the corners
Looking at your rose from the side, you should see that it has four shapes that look like triangles with one corner missing (along the area you just folded). You should see a small triangle on the white side of the card coming out from the base of each of the corners. Fold the rightmost point of each of these "log" triangles.
Draw an imaginary straight line from the lowest point of the "white" triangle and create a valley fold at it
Step 3. Unfold the corners and fold them backwards
Unfold the valley folds you just made at the tips. Then make reverse folds so that each tip disappears inside the rose.
If you did this correctly, the white triangles should no longer be visible
Step 4. Add small valley folds
Your "truncated" triangles should now be truncated in two places: one on the left and a very small one on the right, created by your reverse crease. Now you will need to bend the small trunk side at a 45 ° angle from the base of the triangle.
Step 5. Unfold and reverse fold
Unfold the valley folds you just made, then make a reverse fold along the same lines, folding the tiny triangles you created in the previous step inside the rose in all four places.
Step 6. Fold the edges down
Your "stumped" triangles should have reverse folds on each truncated edge. These will allow you to make a small valley fold, parallel to the base of each triangle, outwards. Do this for all four petals.
Step 7. Create the legs
Join the petals to create the "legs". For each petal, close them so that the one on the right side is just behind the one on the left side. Go over the folds to keep them in place. The result should be four straight and quite strong legs.
If you've done this step right, you should hardly see any white surface on your legs when looking at the rose from the side
Step 8. Turn the paper over and fold the legs inward
Turn the rose so that it looks down towards the white interior. Then, one at a time, fold each of the triangular legs down.
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Insert the end of one leg inside the other to close the opening of the rose.
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Step 9. Turn the rose
The square you are looking at will become the top side of the rose.
Step 10. Push the dials in
The square above the rose should be divided into four quadrants by folds. With your fingers, gently push each quadrant inward, leaving the ridges forming an "X" above the square in place.
Step 11. Rotate
Place a finger inside each of the four quadrants around the "X" and rotate gently.
This should give the top of the rose a more tapered and natural look than the bold lines of the "X"
Step 12. Create a swirl with a pair of tweezers, take the center of what was once the "X", and continue to rotate slowly but firmly, being careful not to tear the paper
- As you do this, the center of the rose will sink inward, creating a more realistic look.
- It may take several tries to get the desired effect.
Step 13. Curl the petals
Using two fingers, take each petal by the tip and roll it towards the center, then release. This way you will create beautiful curved petals.
Part 5 of 5: Adding a Stem (Optional)
Step 1. Get another piece of paper
If you want to add an origami stem, start with a new piece of paper, preferably green.
Step 2. Start with the white side up and fold it in half
Valley fold the paper, corner to corner, making two triangles, then unfold it.
Step 3. Fold the corners inward
Make two more valley folds, folding the left and right corners towards the center fold, creating a kite shape.
Step 4. Repeat
Fold the corners back towards the center crease. Then do it again. You should now be shaped like a very narrow kite.
Step 5. Turn the paper over and fold it up
Turn the stem so that the edges of the paper are all hidden, then fold the top tip towards the top.
Step 6. Fold the paper in half
Now, fold the stem in half along the vertical axis.
Step 7. Fold the sides down, then do a reverse fold
Fold the outside (which will become the leaf) of the paper outward, away from the stem, creating two diagonal folds. Then, do a reverse fold to get the leaf away from the stem. It will have a crease in the center.
Step 8. Attach the stem
Put the pointed side of the stem into the small hole under the rose where all the "legs" meet.
Advice
- Make sure all your folds are straight and precise. Align the edges carefully before creating the creases.
- It is not mandatory to use colored paper, but your rose will look much more beautiful with red paper; moreover, by using a card of two different colors, it will be easier to understand where you are in the operation.
- You can also make the stem with pipe cleaners or green cord if you don't want to make one with origami.
