Origami wreath tutorial

A little paper ornament - simple to make, perfect for popping inside a Christmas Card. Want to have a go? I promised a tutorial, so here's what to do.

You'll need to begin with a rectangle of paper 4cm wide by 8 cm long.  Choose paper with a bit of body - really lightweight stuff won't hold the folds as well or appear 3 dimensional when finished. I'm using some nice old sheet music.

Fold your rectangle in half lengthwise ( keep the prettier side out if your paper is only patterned on one side) to give you a folded strip 8cm by 2cm.

Fold in half crosswise so your piece is now 4cm by 2cm (like the one on the left). You then need to fold down the corners at each end of the strip.

Hold your folded strip with the open edges to the top. Grab both layers of the top right hand side and fold them at 45 degrees to meet the bottom edge. Then do the same with the top left hand side.

You will be left with shapes like this. Each wreath takes 8 of them to complete.

Hold the first piece by the points. If you look carefully at the top edge, you'll see that there are two little pockets formed between the layers of paper. If you imagine they are numbered 1 2 3 and 4, you need to slide one folded point of the next piece, between layers 1 and 2 and the other between layers 3 and 4.

I wish I could just show you, it'd be a lot easier! But try it, it's simpler than I am making it sound.

Push the second piece down into the first until the tips touch the bottom of the pocket.

Then go on with the third piece in exactly the same way.

Continue round. The eighth and final piece gets the tips of the first piece tucked into its pocket to complete the circle.

Fiddle with them to adjust so the wreath looks an even shape.

I added a hanging loop by threading a bit of embroidery cotton through one of the tips using a needle.

You could go to town with fancy Christmas papers, upcycled glossy magazines, text from an old book - the origami wreath world is your oyster.  And if you have a go, do leave a link in the comments - I'd love to see them.

 

Comments

[monica]

brilliant!

so simple and so brilliant!

[Lorrie]

oh, I am definitely trying these. But maybe not until the weekend! Thanks so much.

Lorrie

[lina]

Fabulous - great choice of paper for the job!

[Kate]

Perfect - have to make some of these!

[kirsten]

awesome! thanks for sharing, ali!

(and your paper choice is definitely awesome.)

[Wendy]

So cute! Do you have to use a dab of glue or anything to make them stay in place, or do the folds just stay together like that?

[Megan]

Paper, Christmas, a tutorial - three of my favourite things in on post. Very cool.

[Thimbleanna]

Wow! Thanks. Those would be adorable tucked into Christmas cards!

[Gina]

Thank you Ali - will definitely be trying some of these.

[dottycookie]

Thank you for this! I shall be making some for sure.

[KarenV]

Thank you for this! My ILs would love the music paper option, I'm going to get DH on to making one this weekend!

[kristina]

Thank you so much for the tutorial. I'm definitely going to have a go (hopefully before Christmas actually arrives)! K x

[Ruth]

what fun and effective decoration, great tutorial.

[Deb]

Hi,
Alice at the magpiefiles recommended your blog to me (although I think I had come across it before) and encouraged me to comment, so here I am!

Wonderful idea, how clever of you! I'm not sure mine would turn out so well but feel inspired to try. Thank you! I'll let you know how I get on...

[nita]

Great tutorial and so full of endless possibilities - as if I need any more sideroads for my brain to go down!

[Simone]

That is so great because it is so simple. I am thinking about making some (if I still find some time) for the christmas basar at preschool.

[raina]

Beautiful. I love the zen of folding paper. I like making the little cranes and making mobiles out of them. This wreath is wonderful and would be great made out of festive paper and then glued onto a card.

[Rachel]

This is super cute! I'll be linking in my next Ornament Roundup!

[simone]

Great tutorial.

[Lucy@Attic24]

Ali, I just had to let you know that I absolutely LOVE it when I happen upon your ID page in Blogger and read your Occupation. It SO makes my day. estions
I hate "Occupation" questions. I call myslef a Home Executive, or Artist, depending on my mood, but may have to adopt yours.
lx

[Lesley]

loving the tutorial thank you for taking time to do it :-) weekend craft session sorted now !!
Lesley x

[SierraMoon]

this one is so perfect !!!
no doubt I'll have a go -- merci !!!

[Thimbleina]

Right I really have to go and get some sleep now!
Why did I have to look at your blog just before I really needed to go to bed.
Gosh tutorial were the words that first pulled me in, then ORIGAMI well I just had to find some paper and make one. Here I am up since 5am with Mister T dead on my feet making a Christmas decoration!
I have done it and very impressed with your tutorial. I have to go to bed now but will photograph it tomorrow and post a link to it - i'll be back!!

[Bev]

I saw this in the previous post and hoped there would be a tutorial. I might just make some for my tree this year! Fab!

[Jackie]

Thank you. (I wonder what tune it plays now? A 'round'?)Must give it a try.

[Eurolush]

Love the simplicity of this wreath! I have an antique ledger that would work perfectly with this idea. I'm going to make a bunch of wreaths for my Christmas tree this year. Thanks for the inspiration!

PS-I'll send a link when I do!

[Diana]

Love these Ali, thanks for the tutorial. A bit of inspiration is just what I need right now.

[Thimbleina]

Here is my go at it: http://thimbleina.typepad.com/thimbleina/2008/11/origami-christmas.html

[Victoria Leather]

Lovely tutorial Ali, thanks for doing it when you sound like you've had a tough week with a small sickly one. We've a pile of scrap paper here that we're going to have fun with tomorrow.

[Barbara]

Oh I hoped you would do a show how! Thanks so much. I think my Brownies could have a go at this to help decorate our hall. Bx

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Great tutorial Ali - nearly as good as getting my very own decoration and having the chance to meet you "for real" today! It was so much fun! I'm already trying to work out if we can have a whole Covent-Garden-Weekend in the Spring!

Thanks again! Lucy xxx

[Lil' d]

Ah, this might be one I get to attempt. Thank you.

[Ramona]

Now this is spectacular. I am off to find some old sheet music of my own...

[melissa]

thank you for sharing- these look brilliant!

[Joni]

Very cool! I have some old hymnals. I'm going to make some for everyone in my choir.

[Melody]

That's fantastic! I was struggling to find cheap ways to decorate my "Christmas" tree and this works a treat!

I had a go- http://melodytan.blogspot.com/2008/11/christmas-tree-oh-christmas-tree.html

[April]

OOh! How lovely, I spotted one of these on Lucy Locket's blog and immediately asked my lovely Hubby (who is dead good at origami) if he could make one! THEN I followed the trail and found YOU!! Hello!!!

April xx

[jackie]

I came here from Claudia's blog. These are awesome. So simple, but so many directions one could go with these. Thanks for the tutorial!

[Gis]

so awesome :D
you should check out our tutorial contest xD
there's tonz of prizes!!

[sneha]

its so cool n trendy

[lazylol]

Get tutorial - I am so making these!!

[Natalie]

These are beautiful and I really want to make them but I am just not getting it! I get lost at about the third step. Do you have any additional pictures of the process?

[BluePlum]

Thanks for the inspiration. I featured your blog on my blog. Take a look.
http://blueplumshop.blogspot.com/

[CC]

I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[Shelley]

I love this idea! I'm definitely going to try this.

[Laura (Robson and Mason)]

Oh they're fabulous.

We have a 'How to make' Christmas decorations guide on our blog.

You're looks so stunning the way the paper folds.

I will bookmark this blog, it looks great!

Season's Greetings.

Laura

[Laura (Robson and Mason)]

Oh they're fabulous.

We have a 'How to make' Christmas decorations guide on our blog.

You're looks so stunning the way the paper folds.

I will bookmark this blog, it looks great!

Season's Greetings.

Laura

[Laura (Robson and Mason)]

Oh they're fabulous.

We have a 'How to make' Christmas decorations guide on our blog.

You're looks so stunning the way the paper folds.

I will bookmark this blog, it looks great!

Season's Greetings.

Laura

[Tamra]

http://lorienwoods.deviantart.com/art/Origami-Wreath-105246057

I tried it with foil origami paper and it looks cool but huge! Instead of 4 sheets (each diff color), I'm going to try it out of one sheet or two half sheets of diff colors. Depending on the size maybe it will end up on a card for the Deviantart Holiday Card Project 2008 :D

[Regina]

My 7 year old & I are going to have to try this. Thanks for the instructions