Origami Heart

Create a lovely traditional origami heart with this simple step-by-step guide!

Perfect for gifts, decorations, or just to brighten someone's day, this heart is a timeless expression of love.

This traditional origami heart is a beautiful representation of affection that transcends language and culture.

This classic design is simple yet meaningful, making it a popular choice for various occasions such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just to show someone you care.

With just a single square of paper, you can create a charming heart that can be used for gifts, cards, or as a heartfelt decoration.

This heart design is an excellent project for beginners and those familiar with traditional origami, providing a perfect introduction to the art of paper folding.

You can use plain colored paper, patterned paper, or even metallic sheets to add a unique touch to your heart.

This versatile paper craft can be used in countless ways.

From adding a personal touch to a gift or card to using it as table decor or a charming bookmark, this traditional origami heart is sure to delight anyone who receives it.

Whether you’re crafting alone or with loved ones, this project is a wonderful way to spread love and creativity.

Let’s explore the step-by-step instructions on how to make an origami heart!

Other beautiful and easy to make paper hearts your might like to make include this long origami heart bookmark, heart origami box with lid, easy paper heart from A4 paper, and this origami heart ring.

Why You'll Love This Pattern

• Quick and easy to make, perfect for all skill levels.
• Versatile for gifts, decorations, or heartfelt notes.
• Customizable with different colors and patterns for any occasion.
• A timeless symbol of love that can be shared with friends and family.
• A great introduction to the world of traditional origami.
• Stick these origami hearts onto a card or envelope.

Skill Level

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Materials Needed

• Square paper: A 6x6-inch (15 cm x 15cm) sheet is ideal for medium sized heart. You can also experiment with larger squares (8x8 inches (20cm x 20cm) or 10x10 inches (25cm x 25cm)) for a bigger heart. You could also use smaller paper to make mini origami hearts.
• Type of paper: Lightweight origami paper, scrapbook paper, or even colored cardstock (120-160 gsm) will work well. Choose paper that reflects your style and the occasion you’re celebrating.

Note: We used a 6x6-inch (15cm x 15cm) origami paper for our origami heart, but feel free to try different sizes to create hearts in various dimensions. Larger paper will yield bigger hearts that make a striking statement.

Thicker paper is best suited for making larger hearts.

Step 1: Start with the outside color (such as the colored side or patterned side) of the paper facing down.

Step 2: Fold the right edge of the paper to the left side. Crease well.

Step 3: Unfold previous step.

Step 4: Fold the bottom edge of the paper to the top. Crease well.

Step 5: Unfold previous step.

Step 6: Fold the bottom edge of the paper to meet the central crease line.

Step 7: Turn the paper over to the other side from left to right. The front of the paper, which will be the outside of your heart should be facing upwards.

Step 8: Fold the bottom left corner diagonally up towards the right. Line it up with the vertical crease in the centre of the paper. Crease well.

Step 9: Repeat step 8 for the bottom right corner.

Step 10: Turn the paper over to the other side, from left to right.

Step 11: Fold the right and left edges of the paper to meet the middle crease.

Step 12: Take the top left corner of the paper and fold it inwards diagonally. Repeat with the top right corner.

Tips For Success

• Color Combinations: Experiment with using double-sided paper to create unique hearts that display different colors on each side.
• Heart Sizes: Play with different paper sizes to create hearts of various dimensions for different applications, like bookmarks or gift decorations.
• Personal Touch: Consider writing a message or drawing on the heart to personalize it further before giving it away.
• You could add some stickers or googly eyes and a mouth to your paper heart.

Common Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

• Imprecise folds: Ensure your folds are crisp and accurate for a neat final product. Use a bone folder if needed.
• Wrong paper type: Thin or overly textured paper can be challenging to work with; opt for lighter cardstock or origami paper for best results.

Other Paper Crafts You Might Like To Try:

• Origami Masu Box
• Triangle Origami Corner Bookmark
• Christmas Tree Napkins Fold
• Origami Cup
• Origami Boat (With Square Paper)

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.