How to Make a Full Paper Tulip

Last Updated: June 10, 2021

Springtime means tulips and while not everyone can pick tulips from their garden to display in the home, it is possible to make beautiful tulips using just paper. This simple tutorial will show you how to make a full paper tulip to decorate your home or to use as a gift decoration. For an easier project, see How to Make an Origami Tulip.

Steps

1
Fold the 8" x 11" (20cm x 28cm) paper to turn it into a triangle.
2
Cut off the excess piece of paper out created by the fold. Put it aside (you'll need it later). You should be left with a right triangle.
3
Unfold the triangle and fold it the opposite way. You should have a square piece of paper with an 'X' across it.
4
Crease the folds so that the middle of the 'X' is pointing up.
5
Fold the bottom piece of paper up to meet at the top.
6
Unfold the paper. Fold the sides together and unfold again.
7
Put the sides together.
8
Flatten it down.
9
Turn the triangle upside down.
10
Fold the flaps down to meet at the corner.
11
Turn the paper over and do the same thing on the other side.
12
Turn a flap over to the right.
13
Flip the paper over and turn a flap over to the right again.
14
Take the opposite ends of the flap and insert one corner of a flap into the other flap.
15
Flatten it down and repeat on the other side.
16
Hold it with index fingers inside the folded flaps and thumbs supporting the outside.
17
Blow into the hole facing you, while tugging on the folded flaps to let air in. If the paper won't fill with air you may have to stick a pencil in the hole and push the sides out.
18
Fold or curl the petals down with a pencil or pen.
19
Put the tulip head aside and grab the excess piece of paper cut off earlier.
20
Fold this piece of paper lengthwise three times. This creates the tulip's stem.
21
Insert the stem into the hole in the tulip head.
22
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use construction paper instead of origami paper?

Community Answer

You could, only it would be harder to fold and and it might look a bit messy.
Question

Why are there so many folds?

Community Answer

Because it's a complicated thing to make out of a piece of paper. If you want to make a simpler one, you can try the one linked to in the introduction, but it isn't as impressive.
Question

How can I ensure no air will flow out of the hole of the stem?

Community Answer

The air stays in and will only come out if the whole tulip is crushed and ruined.
Question

Can I use newspaper for origami?

Community Answer

Yes! It is cheap, and you can make big things! It is better than throwing it away.
Question

Can I make a paper tulip with a sticky note?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. However, it will be harder because of the sticky part.
Question

Do I need to use the stem, if I already made the hole?

Community Answer

That is optional. You may or may not use a stem. The stem is used for decorative purposes.
Question

Can this be done without scissors?

Community Answer

Yes. When you make a fold along the line you need to cut, press hard along the fold. Now you can tear the fold apart. If you want to be sure not to tear past the fold, use a ruler.
Question

Can you explain 7?

Community Answer

Place the paper so it looks like a square, so the creases going from side to side are pointing up. Take the left and right sides and push them inward, then downward, then flatten. Make sure that when you flatten, the side-to-side creases are going in.