The origami bellflower shown here looks like a very basic, simple flower. Despite this, the model takes quite a few steps to make. In fact, it is probably the most involved flower in this web site – even more complex than the traditional iris/lily flower.
The good news is that many of the steps are “repeat on the other side” steps. So, once you’ve mastered the folding sequence for the 1st and 2nd petals, making the 3rd and 4th petals will be easy. Instructions are very detailed at first, and then become more abbreviated as you become familiar with each step.
“Bellflower” is a general term used to represent a large class of flowering plants which have hanging, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers can be pink, red, yellow, white, but most are a shade of blueish-purple.
Origami bellflowers can be any color and you can use various patterns of paper to give the flower some pep!
Instructions for Origami Bellflower
Step 1:
Start with a square sheet of paper with the colored-side facing up. Fold and unfold the paper along the diagonals (in both directions). This gives you an “X” shaped crease. |
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Step 2:
Turn the paper over. |
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Step 3:
Fold the paper in half (top to bottom). |
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Step 4:
Gently push the top-left and top-right corners of the paper towards each other. The top layer of paper will lift up along the pre-made creases. |
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Follow the movement of the red dot. |
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Almost there… |
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Step 5
Swivel the flap of paper towards the right. There should be a similar flap of paper behind the model. Swivel this back flap towards the left. When done, you will get a square shaped piece fo paper that is a quarter of the size of the original paper. |
Step 6:
We will make a “squash fold”. First, lift up the top-right flap of paper. |
 Pry open the two layers of paper. |
 Press the paper down so it squashes flat. |
 Align the vertical crease (top layer) with the edges of the paper (lower layer) so you can squash evenly. Press down completely. |
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Step 7:
Now, we will do the “petal fold”. Work with the top two layers only. Fold in the bottom-left and bottom-right edges of the paper towards the vertical crease. |
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 Lift up the top layer of paper (red dot). |
 The sides of the paper will fold inwards along the creases made in step 7. |
 Press the paper down flat: a new triangular flap will be made. |
 Fold the small, triangle flap downwards. |
 This is the completed “petal fold”. You will need to do this three more times for the other three petals. Turn the model over and get ready to repeat. |
Step 8:
Lift the right-flap up. |
 Pry open the two layers of paper. |
 Squash down. |
Step 9:
Petal fold no.2: fold and unfold the bottom-left and bottom-right edges of the paper as shown. |
 Lift up the paper at the red dot. |
 Keep lifting and allow the sides to fold along the existing creases. |
 Fold down the small triangular flap. |
Step 10:
Like turning the pages of a book, swivel the top-right flap of paper towards the left. |
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Step 11:
Time to work on the third petal: lift the right-flap of paper up. |
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Step 12:
Note the abbreviated way of showing the petal fold. If you are unsure as to what to do, follow the instructions in step 7. |
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Step 13:
Lift up the last flap and squash (not all steps shown). |
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Okay, time for bring it all together… |
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Step 14:
Spread out the four flaps of paper so they are away from one another and the model becomes 3D. Relax the creases and let the paper flare open a little. |
 Notice how the model looks like it has four prongs. Rotate the model so the prongs point up. |
Step 15:
Identify the edges of one of these prongs. Pinch together the two edges of the prong and keep them together. |
 Fold the pointy tip of the prong into the inside of the “cone” shaped model. Green arrow shows the two edges which are pinched together. |
 Notice how the edges are still pinched together and the prong has disappeared into the core of the origami bellflower. |
 Top view of the flower. |
Step 16:
Rotate the model so you can work on the next prong. Pinch the edges of the prong together. |
 Fold the pointy tip of the prong into the inside of the cone of the flower. |
Step 17:
Repeat with the remaining two prongs. |
 This is how the flower looks like when it is done. |
Step 18:
Curl the petals by wrapping the paper around a pencil or a wooden skewer |
 Finished origami bellflower. |
 Shown with relaxed petals. |
To put the origami bellflower on a stem:
1 – get a length of floral wire
2 – make a loop on one end of the wire,
3 – wrap floral tape
4 – insert the wire through the flower,
5 – wrap floral tape around wire stem,
6 – bend the wire so the bellflower hangs down.
The origami bellflower also looks good at the end of a stick. Here, use a wooden skewer as a stem and wrap floral tape around it to make it green.
In the flower below, I used harmony paper
