How to make an origami water lily
Origami Water Lily: try all 20 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor water lily: four white-lined petals raised in a cup inside eight green points. Folded from one square with a blintz on each side; no cuts or glue.
- You need
- One square of thin origami paper, green on one side and white on the other. No scissors or glue.
- Start
- Start white side up with one corner pointing up. Green paper that is white on the back gives green points and white petals.
- Tips
- Make each set of corners meet exactly in the middle so the points come out even.
- Fold all four green points along matching lines, and the four petals too.
Your model is ready
The water lily is ready. Lift the four petal tips until they stand almost upright around the middle, and set the lily down on its green points.
Step-by-step diagrams
Steps 1–7
- 1
Find the middle across
Fold the top corner to the bottom corner, press, and open.
- 2
Find the middle lengthwise
Fold the left corner to the right corner, press, and open.
- 3
Fold the top corner in
Bring the top corner to the center, where the two creases cross.
- 4
Fold the right corner in
Bring the right corner to the center.
- 5
Fold the bottom corner in
Bring the bottom corner to the center.
- 6
Fold the left corner in
Bring the left corner to the center.
- 7
Turn over
Turn the square over. The back is plain.
Steps 8–14
- 8
Fold the top left corner in
Fold the top left corner of the square to the middle.
- 9
Fold the top right corner in
Fold the top right corner to the middle.
- 10
Fold the bottom right corner in
Fold the bottom right corner to the middle.
- 11
Fold the bottom left corner in
Fold the last corner to the middle. You have a smaller square standing on a corner.
- 12
Turn out the first green point
Fold the tip of the top left flap back out, so it sticks out a little past the edge. Make the fold a little over a quarter of the way from the edge to the middle.
- 13
Turn out the second green point
Fold the tip of the top right flap back out the same way.
- 14
Turn out the third green point
Fold the tip of the bottom right flap back out.
Steps 15–20
- 15
Turn out the fourth green point
Fold the tip of the bottom left flap back out. The outline now has eight green points.
- 16
Turn over
Turn the model back over. Four small flaps meet in the middle.
- 17
Fold the top petal tip back
Fold just the tip of the top flap back up, along a level line just inside the flap's two side corners.
- 18
Fold the right petal tip back
Fold the tip of the right flap back the same way.
- 19
Fold the bottom petal tip back
Fold the tip of the bottom flap back.
- 20
Fold the left petal tip back
Fold the tip of the left flap back. These four tips are the petals.
- ✓
Finish
The water lily is ready. Lift the four petal tips until they stand almost upright around the middle, and set the lily down on its green points.
Fold next
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Simple tulip ↗
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Flower ↗
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Leaf ↗
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