Flowers & nature · Step-by-step guide
Bound-Petal Paper Lotus
Bundle folded rectangles at the center, then lift their layers into a lotus with a ring of leaves.
What you’ll need
- Twelve 8 × 4 cm rectangles: eight for petals and four for leaves
- Thread or a small elastic band
Modular paper folding · Bound units & lifted petals
Make it, step by step.
11 steps · Original diagrams with English instructions
Prepare the rectangles
Open image at full size ↗Cut 8 cm squares in half to make 8 × 4 cm rectangles.
Crease lengthwise
Open image at full size ↗Fold one rectangle in half lengthwise and reopen.
Fold the corners
Open image at full size ↗Fold all four corners inward to the center crease.
Fold the long edges
Open image at full size ↗Bring both long edges inward to the middle.
Fold the unit in half
Open image at full size ↗Fold the long unit in half again along its center crease.
Make four bundles
Open image at full size ↗Make eight petal units and four leaf units. Stack two petals with one leaf in each of four bundles, matching the pictured orientation.
Bind the center
Open image at full size ↗Tie the four bundles firmly at their midpoint and spread their eight ends into a star.
Lift the first petals
Open image at full size ↗Carefully lift the upper petal layers toward the center, opening their pockets without tearing the bases.
Lift the next layer
Open image at full size ↗Continue with the remaining petal layers, staggering them around the center.
Open the first leaves
Open image at full size ↗Pull the lower leaf layers outward and flatten them into broad points.
Open all the leaves
Open image at full size ↗Repeat around the base and adjust the lotus so it sits evenly.
Follow the diagrams alongside the step-by-step English instructions.
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