Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Origami Gift Box Tutorial

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long, my old computer died and I wasn't able to buy a new one until now. I promise though I'm still doing this blog! Today I have a tutorial on how to make an origami box with a lid from scrapbook paper or card stock. You can use them as gift boxes for your jewelry, to hold craft supplies, or just to hold small items around the house. They're really easy to make once you get the hang of it!

1. First you will need some colorful scrapbook paper or card stock. Don't use double sided paper since you will only end up seeing one side of the paper when the box is done. You can use a thinner paper like printer paper but it's better to use a thick card stock as it makes a sturdier box. Take a 12x12 sheet of paper and cut it into four 6x6 squares, you will need two squares for one box and one lid.

2. Turn the paper so the plain side is facing you.

3. Fold it in half vertically.

4. Then fold it in half horizontally.

5. Open it back up and you should have two intersecting creases.

6. Using the creases as a guide, fold one of the corners into the middle.

7. Repeat this for all four corners.

8. Now take the bottom and fold it up to the middle.

9. Fold the top down the same way so both ends meet.

10. Open it back up.

11. Fold the side into the middle the same way.

12. Fold the other side the same way so both sides meet.

13. Open it up again.


14. Take one of the sides and open it up.

15. Now to make the corners, this is where it starts becoming a box. Use the creases you've made earlier to fold the corner towards yourself.

16. Crease these new folds until it looks like this.

17. Open the other side of the paper and fold in all four corners.

18. Now take your open ends and fold them back over your corners. Tuck edge of the paper under the other pieces to make it stay.

19. Do the same for the other side and you have a box!

20. To make a lid for the box, take your second square of paper and repeat steps 1-7. But now when it's time to fold the sides to the middle, don't fold them all the way to the middle. Leave a little bit of space between the two ends so they DO NOT meet.

21. Do the same for bottom and top, folding them towards the middle but not meeting. Then continue the rest of the steps.

22. Now you should have a box (left) and lid (right) that look like this!

23. If you did it right the lid should fit snugly onto the box.

Experiment with different colors and patterns of paper! Make them extra special with some tissue paper and ribbon, use the same paper to cut out a gift tag so you can write the receiver's name on it. These boxes are simple to make but the possibilities are endless!