Day Lily Paper Flower

Create stunning day lily paper flowers with just a few materials!

Perfect for springtime crafts, Easter, home décor, or thoughtful gifts for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and more.

These day lily paper flowers are a timeless, elegant craft that’s surprisingly simple to make.

With just a single sheet of paper for the flower head and a few additional materials, you can create a stunning bloom that’s perfect for decorating your home or crafting meaningful gifts.

Whether you’re making a spring-themed arrangement, a centerpiece for Mother’s Day, Easter, or a unique bouquet for Valentine’s Day, these paper flowers are versatile and ideal for any occasion.

Day lilies are known for their graceful petals and vibrant colors, making them a favorite among flower enthusiasts.

This paper version captures their beauty while allowing you to explore your creativity. You can customize the size and color of your flowers to match your personal style or the theme of an event.

Best of all, these flowers stay fresh and beautiful forever—no watering needed!

Combine your day lilies with other paper flowers like tulips, roses, or daisies to create a stunning bouquet.

The mix of shapes, textures, and colors will make your arrangement truly stand out.

This project is beginner-friendly and quick, making it perfect for crafters of all skill levels.

Whether you’re a seasoned paper artist or just starting your crafting journey, this day lily paper flower is a satisfying and rewarding project that will have you wanting to make again and again.

Want to use these flowers for décor?

They look beautiful in vases, as table centerpieces, or even as part of a festive wreath.

Planning to gift them?

A bouquet of paper lilies is a thoughtful, handmade way to say "thank you," "I love you," or "thinking of you." And to add a special touch, you might like to make your own swing tag too!

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

Why You'll Love This Pattern

• Simple Yet Beautiful: This day lily paper flower is quick to make, but still impressively elegant. It’s the perfect balance between an easy craft and a finished product that looks stunning.
• Great for Gifting: Whether you're creating a bouquet for Mother's Day or a thoughtful springtime gift, these flowers make a lovely addition to any present or table centerpiece.
• Adaptable for Any Event: Use the Day Lily as a decoration for various occasions, including Easter, birthdays, or even weddings. With endless color options, you can personalize them to match any theme.
• Perfect for All Skill Levels: This pattern is beginner-friendly while still being enjoyable for more seasoned crafters. The folding techniques are straightforward but give you a rewarding finished flower.
• Customizable Sizes: Want a large statement flower or a delicate smaller bloom? This pattern lets you adjust the size to suit your needs, whether you’re decorating or making a bouquet.
• No Special Tools Required: You don’t need any fancy equipment for this one—just basic craft supplies like scissors, paper, and glue. This keeps the project simple and enjoyable.

Skill Level

★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Materials Needed

• Lightweight square paper, such as origami paper (in your choice of colors), we recommend using 6x6" (15cm x 15cm) paper for a medium sized day lily head.
• Green paper (for the stem)
• Thin craft stick or long skewer
• Scissors
• Glue (to attach stem)

Instructions

Making The Flower Head

Step 1: Start with the color you want your petals to be facing down. The color facing up with become the stem (lower part of the flower).

Step 2: Fold the bottom left corner up to meet the top right corner.

Step 3: Unfold previous step.

Step 4: Fold the bottom right corner up to meet the top left corner.

Step 5: Unfold previous step.

Step 6: Flip your paper over from left to right.

Step 7: Fold the left edge to meet the right edge.

Step 8: Unfold previous step.

Step 13: Fold the top right diagonal edge (top layer only) to the left, making a third. It should overlap the centre crease.

It can help to imagine that you need to turn the square into 3 pizza slices.

Step 14: Fold the top left diagonal edge (top layer only) to the right to match the edge of the flap you folded in the previous step.

If you find that the edges don’t match, you may need to re fold the previous step.

Step 15: Unfold previous 2 steps.

Step 16: Slightly open out the top left flap and then squash fold as shown.

Step 17: Repeat previous step with the top right flap.

Step 18: Fold the bottom left and right edges of the 2 flaps inwards as shown.

Step 19: Unfold previous step.

Step 20: We are now going to make a petal fold on each of the flaps. Working on the left flap: Pull up the lower part of the left section up along the existing creases and then flatten.

Step 21: Repeat previous step for the right flap.

Step 22: Fold the outer half of both flaps behind.

Step 23: Flip your paper over from left to right.

Step 24: Repeat steps 13 to 22.

Step 25: Gently unfold the petals of the lily, there are 4 in total.

Step 26: Using a pen, curl the petals outward. Start from the tip of a petal and roll it around the pen body.

Step 27: Completed day lily origami flower head.

For the Stem

Using your green paper.

Step 1: Arrange the paper to sit slightly on a diagonal and have the color side facing down.

Step 2: Place the craft stick (or skewer) slightly above the bottom left corner of the paper.

Step 3: Wrap the paper firmly around the craft stick and then continue rolling the paper around the stick until you nearly reach the end of the paper.

Step 4: Apply some glue at the open end of the paper and then roll the paper over the remaining paper. Allow the glue to dry and remove the craft stick.

Tips For Success

Use a bone folder or something with a flat edge to make your folds crisp and precise.

Common Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

Cut the bottom of your flower head very small at first. Then insert your stem.

If the stem doesn’t fit, trim the bottom of the flower head a bit more and then see if the stem fits. The size of the hole will depend on how tightly your rolled your stem.

Color, Paper Ideas, and Variations

• Use pastel shades like soft pink, lavender, or light yellow for the flower head and a vibrant green for the stem to create a classic spring-inspired day lily.
• Choose bold colors such as deep red, orange, or purple to make a striking bouquet perfect for a centerpiece.
• Create a unique day lily with bi-colored or patterned paper to mimic exotic flowers. For example, a mix of yellow with red edges adds a realistic touch.
• Use metallic or glitter paper to make elegant flowers for weddings, anniversaries, or festive decorations.
• Customize your day lilies for seasonal events—red and green for Christmas, pink and red for Valentine’s Day, or yellow and white for Easter.
• Wrap the stem with patterned washi tape or use colorful papers to add a fun twist.

FAQ

Other Paper Crafts You Might Like To Try:

• Paper Rose
• 3D Origami Ice Cream
• Origami Basket
• Cute Origami
• Hexagon DIY Pen Holder
• Long Heart Origami Bookmark

Helpful Origami Tips

If you're curious to learn more about origami, you might like to look at our basic guides on how to make some common origami folds.

Start with the valley fold and mountain fold—these are the foundation of most origami models.

Once you're comfortable, you might like to try the petal fold for 3D shapes, and explore the bird base and square base for more complex designs.

The water bomb base is also great for creating inflatable or geometric models, like this inflatable origami rabbit.