Easy Butterfly Origami

My new book, Easy Butterfly Origami features 30 bold full-color patterns designed to accurately portray the dorsal and ventral sides of some of the most beautiful butterflies from around the world!

Origami Folding Tips

Origami, from the Japanese ori (to fold) and kami (paper), began in the 6th century when Buddhist monks introduced paper to Japan. The print-and-fold crafts and easy diagrams are designed to help children with fine motor skills, directions and hand eye coordination. Some basic origami folding tips:
  • Print and cut out patterns carefully.
  • Fold with clean, dry hands.
  • Follow the instructions. Study the diagrams and be patient.
  • Be precise: fold each crease well, flattening the creases by running your fingertip over the fold.
  • Folding the paper away from you is easier than folding towards you.
  • Be creative...use your origami on greeting cards, holiday decorations, table place cards and bookmarks.

Halloween: Haunted House Origami

Print and fold a Haunted House Origami!



Difficulty: Easy


Directions:

1. Print and cut out Haunted House Origami.




2. With printed side facing down, fold up along line A.


3. Fold down along line B.






4.  Flip origami over, so that haunted house image is facing down. Fold left side toward center, along line C.



5. Fold right side toward center along line D.


6. Pull open the top left corner of the roof and press down on line E to make a triangle as shown.






7. Pull open the top right corner of the roof and press down on line F to make a triangle.

8. Flip the origami over and you have a Haunted House for Halloween!



Happy Halloween!


©2010 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved

Halloween: Dracula Vampire Origami

Print and fold a Dracula Vampire Origami for Halloween
1. Print and cut out Vampire Origami.



2. To create the collar of Dracula's cape, cut along YELLOW LINE A. Do not cut beyond point A.
3. Repeat on other side, cutting along YELLOW LINE B.
4. Fold back along BLUE LINE C.
5. TURN ORIGAMI OVER, with printed side facing down.
    Fold up along YELLOW LINE D.
6. Fold diagonally along BLUE LINE E to reveal arms and cape.
7. Repeat on other side, folding along BLUE LINE F.
8. TURN ORIGAMI OVER. Dracula should appear as shown below.
9. Fold back along yellow horizontal line. Dracula is ready for Halloween!


©2011 Tammy Yee. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without permission.

Vampire Bat Origami

Print and fold a Vampire Bat for Halloween!


 1. Print and cut out Vampire Bat Origami.


 2. With printed side facing down, fold in half along diagonal line, as shown.
3. Fold down along Line A as shown.
4. Fold up along Line B as shown.
5. Fold down along Line C as shown, to reveal bat's head.
6. Fold wing back along diagonal line as shown, to reveal bat's ear, as shown.

7. Fold wing forward along diagonal line. You should be able to see both the bat's ear and its arm.



8. Repeat on other side.

9. Crease back and forth along bat's fingers to create "accordion folds" as shown.

10. Your Vampire Bat Origami is ready to fly!



©2011 Tammy Yee. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without permission.



Conservation Success...Kakapo Baby Boom!

Finished my Kakapo origami for my upcoming book, "Easy Bird Origami," in time to learn of successful conservation efforts in New Zealand! There are only 125 Kakapos in the wild--thanks to an intensive breeding program, 33 fluffy chicks have hatched this season. Go Kakapo! http://www.earthtouchnews.com/conservation/success-stories/baby-boom-for-one-of-the-worlds-rarest-parrots


Monarch Butterfly


With its distinctive orange and black markings, the monarch butterfly is the most famous of North American butterflies, best known for its long migrations.

No single butterfly survives the journey. Instead, it takes four generations of butterflies to travel south to southern California and Mexico to winter in warmer climates. There, they roost by the thousands, sometimes covering trees. In the spring, they begin the long migration back up to the United States and Canada.

The monarch butterfly is the official state butterfly of Alabama, Minnesota, Vermont and West Virginia.





Print and Fold a Monarch Butterfly Origami:

Monarch Butterfly Origami









Difficulty: Easy

Directions: Follow the same directions as below.

1a. Print and cut out image along outer solid lines.



2a. With printed side facing down,
2b. Fold in half along diagonal line.
2c. Unfold and repeat the diagonal fold on other side.





3a. With printed side facing up,
3b. Fold in half along horizontal line.
3c. Unfold. Your paper should be creased as illustrated.





4. Carefully fold along creases, forming a "tent" as illustrated.




5a. Fold the right "tent" corner up along line A, as illustrated.
5b. Fold the left "tent" corner up along line B, as illustrated.



6a. Turn butterfly over, printed side down.
6b. Fold down along line C.
6c. Pinch or crease in center as illustrated.






Your monarch butterfly is ready to fly!








©2010 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved.



Copyright ©2009 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved. No portion of this web site may be reproduced without prior written consent.