How to make a Chinese paper-cutting flower
Chinese Paper Cutting Flower: try all 8 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor window flower: fold a red square twice, make four cuts through four layers, then open a round flower with eight scalloped petals.
- You need
- Thin paper, a pencil, a ruler and scissors.
- Start
- Begin with a 12 × 12 cm square of red paper, colored side up.
Your model is ready
Open the folds one at a time and smooth the paper flat. Stick the flower on a window with a little tape, or glue it on a card of a different color so the windows show. The finished window flower, with eight round petals around the middle.
Step-by-step diagrams
- 1
Fold the square in half
Bring the bottom edge up to the top edge. Match the corners and press the crease.
- 2
Fold into four layers
Bring the right edge to the left edge. The bottom-right corner of this packet is the middle of the sheet.
- 3
Cut the hole in the middle
Cut a small round hole at the folded corner, from one folded edge to the other. Keep the larger piece.
- 4
Cut the first petal window
Cut a rounded half window out from the left folded edge and back to it, a little way out from the middle.
- 5
Cut the second petal window
Cut the same half window out from the upward folded edge.
- 6
Cut the scalloped outline
Start on the left folded edge and cut a round petal, down into the dip, round the diagonal petal, down into the next dip and round the last half petal to the other folded edge. Cut through all four layers and keep the flower beside the folded corner.
- 7
Open quarter
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- 8
Open half
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- ✓
Finish
Open the folds one at a time and smooth the paper flat. Stick the flower on a window with a little tape, or glue it on a card of a different color so the windows show. The finished window flower, with eight round petals around the middle.
Fold next
Square paper doily ↗
Fold a square twice into four layers, cut the square paper doily pattern, and open the creases in turn.
Fu blessing diamond cutout ↗
An Origami Tutor red diamond for Lunar New Year: cut the blessing character 福 through its centre one stroke at a time, by folding on each stroke and snipping half of it from the fold, then fold the diamond into a quarter triangle, cut a bead near each point and a round bite from each edge, then open it.
Fold-and-cut red lantern with tassel ↗
An Origami Tutor Lunar New Year lantern: fold a red square in half, cut a window and one outline through both layers, then open a flat lantern with two caps and a tassel.
Spring couplet strip with cut border ↗
An Origami Tutor spring couplet strip: fold a long red strip in half along its length, cut half of each character of 立春大吉 against the fold, add a coin window at each end and one wavy cut along the open edge, then open a banner with the four characters cut right through it: Great luck as spring begins.