How to make a Fu paper-cutting decoration
Fu Paper Cutting: try all 40 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
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.
- You need
- Thin red paper, pencil, ruler and scissors.
- Start
- Begin with a 12 × 12 cm square of red paper, colored side up, turned so that a corner points up like a diamond.
Your model is ready
Smooth the diamond flat and rub out any pencil. Hold it up to the light to read 福. Hang it upright, or turn it upside down for the familiar blessing-arrives wordplay. The finished flat red diamond with 福 cut through its centre.
Step-by-step diagrams
Steps 1–7
- 1
Fold down on the top bar
Lightly pencil 福 in the middle: 礻 on the left, 畐 on the right, about 6.5 cm across. Fold the top point down along the top bar of 畐, straight across the whole diamond.
- 2
Cut the top bar
Cut a thin strip from the folded edge, half as wide as a stroke, along the top bar.
- 3
Cut the dot of 礻
Where the dot of 礻 crosses the fold, cut a narrow notch straight into the folded edge.
- 4
Open the top fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 5
Fold down on the next bars
Fold the top down again along the bar of 礻 and the top of the small box 口.
- 6
Cut the bar of 礻
Cut a half-width strip from the folded edge for the bar of 礻.
- 7
Cut the top of 口
Cut the top of 口 the same way, right out to both of its corners.
Steps 8–14
- 8
Open the second fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 9
Fold across the sides of 口
Fold the top down across the upper half of the box's sides.
- 10
Cut the left side of 口
Cut a narrow notch into the folded edge for the left side of the box, reaching just up to the top slot.
- 11
Cut the right side of 口
Cut the matching notch for its right side.
- 12
Open the third fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 13
Fold down on the bottom of 口
Fold the top down along the bottom of the small box.
- 14
Cut the bottom of 口
Cut a half-width strip from the folded edge, stopping short of the corners so the box's middle stays joined on.
Steps 15–21
- 15
Open the fourth fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 16
Fold up on the top of 田
Turn to the lower half. Fold the bottom point up along the top of the field 田.
- 17
Cut the top of 田
Cut a half-width strip from the folded edge, short of the corners.
- 18
Open the fifth fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 19
Fold on the last dot of 礻
Fold the lower left half up and over on a slant, along the short dot that leans down and right beside the stem of 礻.
- 20
Cut the dot
Cut a short half-width strip along the folded edge.
- 21
Open the slanted fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
Steps 22–28
- 22
Fold up on the bottom of 田
Fold the bottom point up along the bottom of the field.
- 23
Cut the bottom of 田
Cut a half-width strip from the folded edge, short of the corners.
- 24
Open the sixth fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 25
Fold up across the middle of 田
Fold the bottom up along the middle bar of 田. This fold also crosses the middle of every upright stroke below it.
- 26
Cut the cross of 田
Cut the middle bar along the folded edge and, at its centre, the upright stroke into the paper, as one T-shaped cut.
- 27
Cut the left side of 田
Cut a notch into the folded edge for the left side of 田.
- 28
Cut the right side of 田
Cut the matching notch for its right side.
Steps 29–35
- 29
Cut the stem of 礻
Cut a longer notch for the upright stem of 礻.
- 30
Open the seventh fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 31
Fold on the sweep of 礻
Fold the upper left half down and over on the other slant, along the stroke that sweeps down and left from the end of the bar of 礻.
- 32
Cut the sweep
Cut a half-width strip along the slanted folded edge, from the bar to the end of the stroke.
- 33
Open the last fold
Open this fold flat again. Each half strip is now a whole stroke of 福.
- 34
Fold the diamond in half
Now cut the border. Bring the left corner across to the right corner. Match the edges and press the vertical fold. The folded edge is on the left.
- 35
Fold it in half again
Bring the bottom corner up to the top corner. The folded corner at the bottom left is the middle of the diamond.
Steps 36–40
- 36
Cut a bead beside each point
Cut a small half window near the end of each folded edge, leaving a bridge of paper between it and the long window.
- 37
Cut the second bead
Cut the same small half window on the lower folded edge.
- 38
Bite the diamond edge
Cut a half circle out of the middle of the long open edge, bulging in toward the folded corner.
- 39
Open quarter
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- 40
Open half
Open this crease gently, leaving the earlier folds closed. Keep the uncut joins together.
- ✓
Finish
Smooth the diamond flat and rub out any pencil. Hold it up to the light to read 福. Hang it upright, or turn it upside down for the familiar blessing-arrives wordplay. The finished flat red diamond with 福 cut through its centre.
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