Easy origami for beginners: 27 projects to get you started

Craft an intricate design with your favourite patterned papers in your stash with our selection of origami for beginners, which include birthday party boats, heart bookmarks, mini succulents, card toppers, and a divine floral wreath. All the projects featured are designed to be easy to follow and make - it's origami for beginners!

If you like this article, origami for beginners, why not check out some of our paper crafts – like these cute quilled flowers, or this beautiful paper flower bouquet, or how about getting your glue gun and making this realistic paper rose? Or why not top-up your stash and browse the best origami paper.

We love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to share your origami projects with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, too!

Origami for beginners

1. Origami swan

This traditional Japanese origami swan is easy to make and looks great with double-sided paper. This simple origami swan uses one piece of 15 x 15cm paper and shows a peek of the reverse with detail for the wing. It’s a stable model, so will stand up on its own without support. This origami swan is an ideal first origami project, as it only takes a few minutes to make and only uses simple folds - learn how to make an origami swan, right here on Gathered!

2. Origami crane

If you could have one wish, what would it be? There is an ancient Japanese legend that says, whosoever folds 1000 paper cranes, will be rewarded with a wish from the gods. Learn how to make an origami crane with our easy to follow step-by-step tutorial - so grab a piece of 15cm x 15cm paper, and let us show you how.

3. Origami owl

Make this easy origami owl following our step-by-step tutorial! Grab a piece of your favourite 15 x 15cm paper, and learn how to make an origami owl right here on Gathered. Why not add some charms or buttons as the eyes and colour the beak, as we have done!

4. Lucky Stars

Learn how to make an origami lucky star, these cute little origami stars are made with strips of paper and are very easy to make! Get the tutorial over at Paper Kawaii.

5. Origami hearts

These origami hearts from Radiant Home Studio are a lovely origami for beginners project - and make great gifts, too! Use on cards as toppers or add to gift-wrapped presents for that extra special touch.

6. Origami necklace

Make your own origami necklace with origami expert Esther Thorpe's free tutorial right here on Gathered. Esther shows you how to make an origami necklace in this really simple tutorial.

7. Origami paper lampshade

Make an origami paper lampshade with Zoe Patching's origami lampshade instructions – you can resize the origami lampshade template for lamps big and small, and it makes a real statement piece in any room.

8. Origami flower wreath

Create a beautiful door decoration for your home with our origami paper wreath, perfect for adding some summer brightness to your living space all year round.

9. Origami vase

This beautiful origami vase is made from folded paper and hides the real vase beneath the paper! Find the full tutorial over at Love Decorations.

10. Polyhedron pots

Okay - so this isn't technically origami, but it's such a lovely project we just had to show it off. Freshen up your workspace with Suzie Attaway’s paper folding project. She'll be showing you how to make these playful polyhedron pots which are great desktop tidies! There's a free template, too.

11. Origami succulents

Give your craft room a little green-fingered update with these adorable mini origami succulents, crafted by Paper Kawaii. Visit their website to find all the instructions and materials needed to make your own mini origami succulents.

12. Easy origami cats

Craft an adorable cat companion for your craft desk with these easy origami cats - they only take a couple of minutes to make! Embellish the cat with sequins, a little bow, and gems for a sparkling finish. This is the perfect origami for beginners project.

13. Origami rabbit

Learn how to make this easy origami rabbit following the instructions over at Origami Tutorial. It uses one sheet of origami paper and we love it.

14. Origami fairy lights

Transform a string of plain white fairy lights with these beautiful origami fairy lights. Dress them up in pretty pastel flowers makes these lights summer-ready – they’re perfect for hosting a garden party or for just adding some colour to a room. Just be sure to use paper-safe fairy lights when you make this project!

15. Transforming ninja star

Okay - who made these as a child? They were great for throwing across the classroom when the teacher's back was turned (of course, we never did that...) and they teach kids about maths. Win-win! Find the tutorial over at What Do We Do All Day.

16. Easy origami butterfly

These beautiful origami butterflies are made out of washi paper, giving their wings a beautiful translucent effect. Find the full tutorial over at Goorigami.

17. Origami jumping frog

Make this traditional jumping frog from one sheet of green origami paper. There is a brilliant, and very clear tutorial over at Origami.me - how far can you make yours jump?

18. Origami dinosaur

Learn how to make this roarsome origami dinosaur with this brilliant video tutorial from PPO crafts on YouTube.

19. Origami birthday party boats

Whether you want to create an extra-special birthday card for a little boy or girl, celebrate a newborn baby, or make colourful table decorations or upcoming parties, these little origami party boats are just the thing!

20. Origami heart bookmark

Bookmark those must-try craft projects with this fancy origami heart bookmark. We reckon your bookworm bestie will love ’em, too. Crafted with pretty patterned paper, find out how to make this heart bookmark by visiting The Idea Room.

21. Origami kite, dog and heart card toppers

Send smiles through the post with these adorable origami card toppers. They only take a few minutes to make but will add so much fun to your papercraft projects. Fold the kite, heart and dog toppers with spare papers from your stash, then ink the edges for a colourful twist,

22. Origami cubes

Learn how to make these simple origami cubes - they're made from 6 pieces of origami paper and hold together without the need for tape or glue!

23. Origami star decoration

Here’s a simple origami star tutorial for the whole family that you can whip up using paper scraps or sparkling gift wrap. Easy to make and beautifully festive, why not make and fold a whole bunch of origami stars to decorate your home with.

24. Origami boat mobile

Create a shipshape origami boat mobile by folding darling paper ships and clouds to adorn your living space. Or, you can easily scale the instructions up to create a larger origami boat if you wish.

25. Kirigami Christmas star mobile

Create a minimal masterpiece with Sarah Louise Matthews's kirigami star mobile! Kirigami is similar to origami, but if you cut the paper - that's what makes it kirigami. ("Kiru" means "to cut".)

26. Origami Christmas tree

Now it's time for some festive origami for beginners! Use Mollie Makes' tutorial to make the adorable little origami Christmas tree.

27. Origami Christmas decorations

Want more origami? Take a look at our round-up of all the best origami Christmas decorations, including these brilliant origami crackers!

Buy origami supplies!

You don't need much to learn how to do origami. Choose some thin paper and something to make the creases sharp. A bone folder is ideal, but you can also use a ruler! If you think this is a craft you will enjoy - then check out our must-have origami supplies.

1. Origami paper

Buy now: £6.39, Amazon

This pack of origami paper comes in traditional designs with a great price point. There are 24 different designs and 100 sheets. They’re double-sided, too so if you’re looking to get into the hobby without splashing too much cash – this is a great option.

2. Botanical origami paper

Buy now: £6.11, Amazon

This collection of botanical-inspired origami paper features beautiful designs of leaves and feathers in a palette of greens and blues. We love the peacock feathers! If you want more peacock inspired prints, why not download our free peacock pintables?

3. Plain origami paper

Buy now: £7.99, Amazon

Coloured on one side and white on the other, having a stash of plain origami paper is great for practising models. There are 50 different colours in the pack and each sheet is 20 x 20cm, just a little larger than the traditional 15 x 15cm square sheets.

4. Origami lucky stars paper

Buy now: £13.26, Amazon

Origami stars are made easy with this collection of pre-cut origami star paper! There are over a thousand strips - if you buy this, we challenge you to use them all!

5. Bone folder

Buy now: £6.95, Amazon

Get nice, crisp creases in your origami projects by using a bone folder. You can use a ruler, or anything with a straight edge, but as you progress in your origami, it's nice to have the right tools.

6. Amazing Origami kit

Buy now: £13.40, Amazon

This is just a lovely origami book that we like! It has 144 sheets of traditional origami paper, plus instructions for 17 models, so you can get folding straight away.

7. Amazing Origami

Buy now: £10.99, Amazon

This origami kit comes with 28 pre-printed designs, and four sheets of stickers. Animals include owls, birds and fish - and instructions, so you can see your animals come to life before your eyes!

8. The complete book of origami

Buy now: £11.99, Amazon

Just looking for a no-nonsense, no-fuss origami book? We love The Complete Book of Origami by Robert J Lang. It contains instructions for 37 original models in over 1000 diagrams, so you won't be lost. We love the life-like animals!

We hope you enjoyed this origami for beginners' DIYs! For more papercraft fun head to our free papercraft projects section and our card-making section, plus check out these lovely paper cutting templates.