How to Fold an Origami Heart
The origami heart is a flat, symmetrical heart shape folded from one square, ideal for slipping into a card or envelope. It is an easy model that takes around five minutes and uses only simple valley and mountain folds.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 5 min
- Steps
- 8
- Paper
- A 15 cm (6 in) square, preferably red or pink on one side
Place the paper white side up. Fold it edge to edge in both directions and open it, leaving a plus-shaped pair of creases.
Tip: swipe the diagram, or use ← → on your keyboard. Space plays and pauses.
All steps
Step-by-step instructions
The same 8 steps as the animation above, written out so you can fold away from the screen.
Step 1
Place the paper white side up. Fold it edge to edge in both directions and open it, leaving a plus-shaped pair of creases.
Step 2
Bring the upper edge down so it lies on the horizontal middle crease.
Step 3
Fold the bottom edge up until it meets the folded top edge.
Step 4
Flip the paper over.
Step 5
Fold the right half upward so its lower edge runs along the vertical center crease, then repeat with the left half so the two flaps meet at the center.
Step 6
Flip the paper over again.
Step 7
Shape the top by folding four little corners to the back: both outer top corners, plus the two tiny corners at the center where the flaps come together.
Step 8
Tuck the two side corners to the back too, so the outline curves smoothly.
Finished
The heart is complete. Add a short note on the back, or fold several in different colors and thread them into a garland.
About the origami origami heart
The folded heart is a simple, flat model that has become a staple for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, birthdays and thank-you notes. Because it lies flat and ends up about half the width of the starting square, it tucks easily into an envelope, a lunchbox or the pages of a book. Many people fold one quickly from a square of colored paper to add a personal touch to a gift, and teachers often use it for classroom cards in February. Its clean outline also makes it a good canvas for a short handwritten message on the back.
The sequence is a good introduction to reference creases. You start by making a cross of folds, then use those lines as guides for every later step, so accuracy at the beginning pays off at the end. It also introduces the mountain fold in a friendly way: the final shaping happens by folding small corners behind, which rounds the outline without any complicated moves. Neatness at these last corners is what makes a heart look polished, and adjusting how much you fold back lets you choose between a plump, rounded heart and a slimmer, pointed one.
Hearts are easy to multiply into bigger projects. Fold a stack in graded sizes for a wall display, thread small ones into a garland, or glue a single heart to the front of a card. When you are comfortable with this model, the Lucky Star and Paper Crane make lovely companions for symbolic gifts. For a bouquet to go with your card, fold a Tulip and its Tulip Stem. The Butterfly is a good next step if you want to try your first collapsed base while keeping the same cheerful, giftable feel.
Origami origami heart: questions
What color paper is best for an origami heart?+
Red or pink paper with a white back is traditional, since the colored side ends up on the front. Patterned papers, gift wrap and even old book pages also make attractive hearts.
How big should the paper be?+
A 15 cm (6 in) square gives a heart about 7 cm wide, which fits nicely in a standard greeting card. For a garland, 7.5 cm squares make small hearts; for a wall decoration, try 25 cm or larger.
Can I make an origami heart from a dollar bill or rectangle?+
This diagram is designed for a square. There are separate heart designs for rectangular bills, but they use different proportions. If you only have A4 or Letter paper, trim it into a square first.
How do I make a heart garland?+
Fold several hearts and thread a needle and string through the top of each one, or tape them along a ribbon. Alternating colors looks cheerful, and small hearts from 7.5 cm squares keep the garland light.
Fold this next
Lucky Star
An origami lucky star is a tiny, puffy five-pointed star made by knotting a long paper strip into a pentagon and wrapping it. It is easy and takes about three minutes, though the final puffing step needs a light touch.
Tulip
The origami tulip is a flat flower head made from a single square in three folds, designed to be joined to a separate folded stem. It is one of the easiest models on the site and takes about three minutes.
Butterfly
The origami butterfly is a small model with four wings and a locked body, folded from a square using the waterbomb base. It is a comfortable intermediate model that takes about six minutes and introduces collapsing a base.
Paper Crane
The origami crane is the traditional Japanese orizuru, a bird with spread wings folded from a single square without cuts or glue. It is an advanced model: expect about 15 minutes for your first one, mostly spent learning the petal fold and inside reverse fold.