Learn to craft a beautiful origami lotus flower with this easy-to-follow guide. Perfect for beginners seeking a relaxing, creative project.
Skills Required: None. You will only use basic folds to make this flower. Get a video at the bottom of the post showing all the folds.
Hi friends! It’s technically still spring, so we’re rolling up our sleeves and diving into a super fun project that’s perfect for beginners and seasoned crafters alike – the origami lotus. So, if you’re ready to add a touch of zen to your day, you’re in the right place!
The lotus flower is gorgeous, but it’s also packed with meaning in Japanese culture. The lotus flower is revered for its ability to bloom beautifully even in muddy waters, making it a symbol of purity and resilience.
This mirrors important cultural values such as overcoming adversity and maintaining one’s integrity despite challenging environments. The lotus is often associated with Buddhist themes of enlightenment and rebirth, reflecting the idea that individuals can rise above their conditions to achieve their true potential.
Overall, the lotus flower serves as a powerful emblem in both tangible crafts like origami and the more abstract cultural values. The completion of a lotus through the artful folding of paper is metaphorically seen as the emergence of beauty and order from simplicity.
And the best part? You can create this symbol of resilience with one a sheet of paper.
So now it’s time to grab some paper – maybe something colorful or even patterned – and join me as we fold our way to a beautiful paper lotus.
Just keep scrolling, and let’s unfold the magic of paper folding together!
Lotus Flower Paper Folding
Begin with a 20 cm (8″) square piece of paper (or size of your choice), colored on both sides. The size of the paper square will determine the size of the finished lotus flower. Mine is 75 mm square at the base with the petals (almost 3″) by about 30 mm tall (1 1/8″).
Make the Base Folds
Place your paper on your surface with the points at the top and bottom. Fold in half to make a triangle, then rotate a half turn and fold in half again.
Turn the paper a quarter turn and repeat. Fold in half to create a square. Rotate a half turn and fold in half again.
Unfold the paper. Now fold all four corners (points) in to the center and crease.
Repeat! Do this again with the four corners and smooth.
And because it’s fun, you’re going to flip the paper over and do it one more time. Fold in all the corners toward the center and crease.
Form the Leaves and Petals
Flip the paper over. You’re going to fold the four flaps to the outside, away from the center, leaving about 5mm (~1/8″) from the top on each flap.
Now flip over again. You’re going to pull the four points of the paper toward the center to form the petals. Hold the points in the center with one finger as you crease the corner edges.
Push each petal toward the center and crease slightly so that they stand up.
Flip the lotus over. Pull the four flaps out to each side to create the leaves.
Make sure to smooth all of your folds to secure your paper flower.
Are you ready for the video? Learn lotus flower paper folding below! Then let me know what you think in the comments!