Easy Origami Wreath Tutorial

This paper folded design is glued together. If you must make this design without any glue or sticky tape, do take a look at the end of this page which shows a video tutorial of a 'no-glue' origami wreath as well as a fab Christmas Tree card demo which uses the same fold I show on this page.

You can rest your finished wreath on the branches of a Christmas tree or hang them up in the home using ribbon. If you want a bigger design, then you need larger squares of paper.

Image Credits: All images on this page belong to the author: Marie Williams Johnstone.

You need 8 squares of paper to make this folded design. I use 2.5 - 3 inch squares which makes a wreath that sits well and looks good on handmade cards because I do a lot of cardmaking. This size would also work well for small Christmas decorations.

You now need to fold the square paper diagonally in half across in the other direction with the pattern or color still facing upwards - then unfold back to a square. This makes 2 creases which cross over each other in an X shape as shown in the image on the left.

Now fold your square piece of paper in half with the pattern or color facing upwards. This will make a rectangular shape. Unfold the paper again back to a square once a good crease has been made. 

Fold the square of paper in half again across the other way to make a + (plus) shape. This time you want to ensure that you are folding so that the pattern or color on your paper is on the inside of your fold as shown.

Make sure you unfold the square of paper and have the patterned or color side facing upwards. The middle point of your square should point up a little with all the creases you have made so far. If it doesn't then place a finger underneath the middle of your paper and push up.

Now you can simply push any two opposite sides together to make a flat, folded triangle shape from your paper.

Once you've made the triangle, it's a good time to ensure your creases are nice and defined. Rub over the creases firmly with the side of your thumb.

To finish your folded paper requires just a few more steps. Position the folded triangle on your table or work surface with the central point facing up as shown. Take hold of the top layer of paper on the bottom right corner and fold it over to the middle of the triangle. This will form a tiny little triangle fold as shown.

Make the same fold on the other side of your triangle. So pick up the bottom left corner (and the top layer of paper should lift up) and fold this over to the middle to neatly meet the other little triangle you made in the step above. Now fold all 8 squares of paper in this exact same way with steps 1-8.

Arrange your folded pieces into a wreath. I stick mine together with tape at the back but you can also glue them onto a piece of paper and then trim any excess away when done.

You can start with your first piece placed into an L shaped position as that is the shape that the 2 shortest sides make. 

Once you've stuck your first 2 pieces together then move them round anti-clockwise so that your 2nd folded piece is now forming the L shape with its two shortest sides. Now stick the 3rd piece in the < position. Continue sticking your folded pieces using this L and < pattern and it will form a wreath shape when all 8 pieces are affixed.

This is an example of a Christmas Card that I made for my husband one year. You can use slightly different shades of green patterned paper to get that same gradated effect with the colors working from light to dark.

A little tag can be printed off from a computer using a word processing program with a greeting or a person's name. A little red bow completes the look. You can also finish off cards by decorating envelopes to match too which looks smart.