Paper Butterfly

You will need:

Scrap paper, ruler and compass to trace a shape that is basically a square overlapped by a circle, and some scissors to cut it out. The smaller you make your pattern, the smaller your butterfly will be (and the harder to fold!)
Some patterned paper (I used double sided but you can use paper with a single printed side - the thinner the paper is the easier it is to get lots of little folds and the butterfly looks better)
A bone folder helps to get the creases sharp
A length of Ribbon - thinner is better

What to do:

Cut out your pattern, then trace it onto the patterned paper you chose
Cut out the shape
Pleat the butterfly shape up as finely as you can, using the bone folder to make the creases sharp. Keep going until the whole shape looks like an accordion
Now take some ribbon and tie the shape in the middle. The ribbon ends will become the antennae and head
Next, spread out the folds to make wings. I used my bone folder again to make the wings fold upward and downward the way I wanted them to

How to Use a Paper Butterfly

13 Aug 2011