Origami Bow Tutorial

Created: June 15, 2015
Modified:

I saw the video tutorial by Babe Ba Ma on facebook, and although it was very quick and had to be re-seen several times... it was really good. Then I went through my Technique Journal and realized I had made it before... sometime around September 2012... sheesh. So I thought I'd do a web page to reinforce the technique in my brain which is definitely going old...

Step1: cut a piece of white copy paper into a square. Approx 5" x 5" or 6" x 6" works well for your first bow. I used a 5" x 5" piece of paper.

Color 1 side and leave the other side white. I used Distress pad "Old Paper" direct to paper. Stamped the Impression Obsession CAC "Bubbles" using Versafine Black Onyx.

Step 2: Fold paper in half both ways and diagonally both ways (right side together)

Step 3: Squeeze and pinch the diagonal lines together to create the square seen in Step 3 Detail 2

Step 4: fold up the bottom corner approx 1". Burnish

Step 5: Unfold and on the wrong side you should have crease lines for that smaller square in the center.

Step 6: Pinch the horizontal and vertical lines as well as the crease of the small square into mountain folds. Press the valley fold down while pushing the crease from the small square into the center. Repeat on opposite side to create what looks like Step 6a.

Fold over one of the flaps so that the small diagonal edge matches the center crease line. Repeat on opposite flap.

Turn over and repeat to get what looks like Step 7a

Step 8: Gently open  the paper. You should have a puffy little center square. Continue to open and flatten the paper. Press down.

Step 8b: Turn paper over to wrong side.

Step 9: Cut the 4 fold lines up to the small diagonal edge.

Step10: Raise the lower square up.

Step 11: fold so edges meet center score line on the left & right flaps creating arrow point shapes.

Step 12: this is what the right side should look like now.

Step12a: turn bow back to the wrong side and while holding the 2 pieces of bottom paper together, cut along the crease line.

Step 12: this is what the right side should look like now.

Step13 & 13a: Fold in the outside edge of the tail, then fold over the inside edge, overlapping and approx. meeting the fold of the outside edge. Repeat on other tail.

Step 13b & 13c: Cut the tails into a picot end. Repeat on other tail

Step 14 & 14 a: turn in arrow point and slip under small center square. repeat on opposite arrow point.

completed bow

And here's a card made with a red bow...

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