Buttonhole Flowers

by Paul Jackson

This lovely 4-leafed Buttonhole flower was created by Paul Jackson. See diagramic instructions here.

This buttonhole flower looks best when the paper is the same color on both sides. If you use origami paper that is white on one side and colored on the other, be sure to fold it so that the color side is inside the folds – the color will be visible only at the final step of the project.

1. If you are using origami paper that is white on one side, start with the white side facing up. Fold the paper left to right, unfold. Repeat by folding top to bottom, unfold. This gives a “+” crease mark.
2. Turn the paper over and fold it on the diagonal, corner to corner; unfold. Repeat by folding corner to corner along the other diagonal; unfold. This gives an “X” crease mark.
3. Collapse the paper into a waterbomb base. To do this, bring the top of the paper down towards the bottom while pushing the sides inwards.
4. This will naturally fold into triangle with two flaps on the left and two flaps on the right.
5. Rotate the model so that the base of the triangle is up and the apex is down. Fold the two flaps on the left towards the right side. All 4 flaps should be stacked as shown on 5a.
6. Fold two layers back to the left side, but fold at an angle along crease A to B as shown.
7. This is how the model should look like. Note: fold as accurately as possible to keep A as a sharp point. Turn the model over as shown in 7a.
8. Repeat on the remaining two flaps: fold along the dashed lines.
9. The 4 flaps are again overlapping but there is a nib. The nib (labeled “S”) will be the stem of the flower. “C” will be the center of the flower.Hold the nib and rotate the model so that you look at C directly. Separate the 4 flaps evenly as shown in step 10.
10. Use your fingers and pry open the flap layers so they look like 10a. If necessary, bend back the petal a little so it keeps its shape. Finished!

• see buttonhole flower diagram instruction here
• go back to Origami Flower page
• find more origami instructions.

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