How to Make an Origami Heart

Origami is the enjoyable art of paper folding. A heart shape is a fairly simple yet effective shape to fold, and the result can be used as a Valentine's Day gift or decoration, a romantic token or to decorate anything you're making in paper craft.

1. Get a letter-size (or A4) piece of paper. If you draw a design, split it in half as shown; it will end up in the center of the heart. A decoration can be added when the heart is finished as well.
   
   
2. Turn the paper to the side that is white (or whichever side you want "inside" the heart). Fold the top right corner downwards so that it meets the left side of the paper. Unfold it, and do the same thing to the opposite corner; do not unfold.
   
   
3. Fold the bottom part in half upwards. Do this so that the white (or inside part of the paper) doesn't show anymore.
   
   
4. Unfold the top part, so just the bottom part is folded. Then, turn your paper over.
   
   
5. Fold the top part down horizontally, so that the fold crosses the intersection in the middle of the paper. Then unfold it.
   
   
6. Turn the paper over again. Take the left and right sides of the paper (where the horizontal crease is) and pull them toward the center of the paper. As you pull them, the other two creases should be folding, too. Pull the two sides inwards so they touch. (This can take several tries if you are new to this.) You should end up with what looks like a triangle sitting on top of the rectangular portion at the bottom.
   
   
7. Fold the bottom left corner (just the top layer––not the whole thing) of the top triangle so that it meets the top point. Do the same with the other side; you'll end up with a diamond shape.
   
   
8. Grab the left side of the paper, and fold everything that's not part of the diamond you made in the previous step toward the center. Do the same for the other side.
   
   
9. Fold the entire thing in half vertically, then unfold. Turn over.
   
   
10. Take the two bottom corners and fold them upwards, so they meet at the center. Fold them so that what was once the bottom edge lines up with the vertical line running down the center.
    
    
11. Fold the large triangular flap at the top downward, as far as it can go before running into a horizontal line. Notice at the top there are three individual flaps, two small ones and a big one. Fold the big one down.
    
    
12. Tuck the two corners that you folded up from the bottom into the space inside the triangular flap.
    
    
13. Fold the two remaining top flaps downwards at an angle.
    
    
14. Tuck the corners of those flaps into the space in the big flap.
    
    
15. Finished.
    
    

• Practice. If you are new to origami, this project can be hard, and you may not get it on the first try.
• Neat, sharp folds will make your final product look better.
• Look at the images carefully before making the folds to reduce unnecessary creases in the paper.
• When you are first starting, use a large piece of paper; it will make small folds easier.
• Try writing a note on the "inside," and follow the instructions above to hide it.
• You can put it in an origami box and give your heart away.

• Beware of paper cuts!
• Do not use small pieces of paper on your first try––the folds will be more difficult, and you might get frustrated.

• A rectangular piece of paper (8.5" by 11"/22cm x 28cm letter size, or A4)
• Drawing Utensils (Markers, Crayons, Color Pencils) (Optional)