Quick and easy origami gift box tutorial

I'm still on a high, and the air feels different in a good way.

As part of the U-Handbag 2nd birthday celebrations I thought I would create a tutorial and I would do a giveaway.  Here is the tutorial.  It's a very easy origami lidded gift box which you and/or the kids can whip up in less than 10 minutes.  This box would be perfect for packaging smaller Christmas presents like jewelery, or you can use these boxes as dividers within a larger box (which is great for keeping our crafting supplies under control).

I have a stash of origami paper to (just about) rival my fabric stash...

Nice to have, nice to look at; nicer to covet than to use...(bit like how I feel about my fabric stash).


Origami was my first craft hobby.  The first model I ever made was this very box (I must have been 10 yrs old), from then on I was hooked. Here is a star I made recently...

An example of modular origami.

For my tutorial for a pretty origami lily flower click here.

Here is the lidded box.  I made a padded flower to put on the lid.  The flower can use be used to lift the lid off the box, or you can make a ribbon bow, or maybe a fabric yo-yo with button center, or stick some dried flowers on, or not!

 

To make the flower I followed JuJu's excellent tutorial.


1. Start with a square of thick paper or (best) light card (mine is 25cm square, which makes a box that measures 9cm (W) x 4.5cm (H).  Fold the paper in half diagonally, both ways.  Ensure all of your creases are sharp by running finger nail along each crease for every step of this model.

Fold diagonally, ensure that the tips meet perfectly.  It's best to be anal about being precise when paper folding!

2. Open paper out and you will see that you have folded a cross.  Take one of the corners and fold the tip of the corner to the very center of the cross.   Take your your time to be as precise as possible.  Origami works best when your creases are sharp and your folds are precise anal.

Repeat with the other 3 corners, and open out paper.

3.  Take one of the corners and fold the tip of the corner to the opposite crease that you made in step 2.

Repeat with the other 3 corners and open out paper.

4.  Take one of the corners and fold the tip into the fold you have just made in  step 3. 

Repeat with the other 3 corners.  Right, that's boring bit over with.  All we have been doing up to now is making crease lines which will form our guidelines for following steps.

5.  Take your paper and using the crease lines as a guide fold in the corners to the center of the cross as shown in the photo below.

Now fold in the side edges (using our crease lines as a guide) to 90 degrees as shown in the photo.

6. Turn the model over and make a diagonal crease in the 1st square from the left (as explained in the following pics).

Model is now turned over.  Notice how there are 4 squares on the bottom edge of the model?  We are going to make a diagonal crease in the 1st square from the left by following the next photo...

Hold the 1st square (from the left) in the same way as I am in the pic, and press your thumb down to make the beginnings of a diagonal crease (running from the bottom left to top right corners). Ensure the corners of this square meet each other perfectly, make the crease nice and sharp, repeat this step on the opposite of the model, and what you'll get is this...

Making these diagonal creases allow for the sides of the box to be formed.  Repeat this step with the other 3 corners of the box in the way, and what you'll get is this...

See?  It's all taking shape nicely.

7.   Fold the flap down into the box to finish the one of the sides (as explained in the following pics)

Pinch one of the flaps as shown in the pic, and start folding the flap (on the ready made crease) down away from you..

.

..fold the flap down way from you and into the box...

...flap is completely folded into the box.  The triangular tip of the flap should now lie flat on the bottom of the box to form a cross.  Repeat with the other side of box and you're all done!

If you like you can put some pretty paper at the bottom of the box to hide the cross. 

To make a lid for the box you need to use paper that is 1.5 cm square larger than the paper you used for the bottom.

Pop some tissue paper into the box, add your Christmas/birthday/treat pressie to the box, present to lucky person, and make 'em smile!

.

For my tutorial for a pretty origami lily flower click here.

Comments

[Beth]

I am loving that box! I gave away a bunch of origami paper, but fortunately a friend gave me some in a swap. It looks like fun! Thanks for sharing this tutorial with us.

[katie]

okay, there you go again, inspiring me so much i just might have to take up this craft too! thanks for your tutorials! you have a way of explaining things so they don't overwhelm me! I am doing a jewelry give away on my site and i wanted to let you know! stop by if you get a chance!

[Vero]

Thank you for this tutorial.
it seems fun and I certainly will try it!

[Jennie]

I made boxes like this alot last year.
When things are abit slow at the bookshop where I work, have fun playing with paper & while reading a book about Origami.

[Claire (not Bahrain)]

This is great. Yet another easy to follow tut. Will definitely have a go.

[Tina Poulsen]

Great tutorial :)
I have often made those boxes for gifts... they are so great!!!
And what beautifull paper you have in that stash!

[Isla]

I have some of these boxes that i made at work to keep paper clips and similar stuff in, they're very handy.

[Lil' d]

Thank you. I used to make these when I was (a lot) younger and had been kicking myself for forgetting how.

[Patches]

Thanks for sharing this - I am coveting your paper stash ;).

[Carol]

Thank you for the tutorial - I was wanting to make these to hold gifts, but had forgotten how!

[jen]

hmm... i really want to use this for yule, but i don't have anything that i'm giving away that is small enough. boo!!! to my gifts, i guess.

[Zelia]

uau! i love it!

[Joanna]

just made one (was meant to be sewing a school bag but easily distracted). I have decorated it with a yo yo. Love it. will put photo on my blog later. so easy and so clever thanks

[Anna]

I love it! I made some little books for Christmas pressies and this is perfect to put them in as a little keepsake box.
BTW I used coloured 12x12 scrapbook paper and it's worked BEAUTIFULLY. I'll blog it later.

[Liz]

uh, Lisa... is there anything you can't do and make look really cool? You really get my craftiness cookin'- thanks for the fun tutorial! I'm so glad people are posting photos on their blogs!

[5Volt]

Elegant. And very well explained. Thanks.
Alessandro

[Talina]

This is a super easy tutorial! I searched the web looking for gift box folds they were all so confusing but your article is perfectly understandable and very helpful! Thanks a ton!

[Sequana]

I'm making these with fabric-covered paper. They are beautiful. Thx for the tute.

[kit]

you seem like the best person to ask this question, do you know how to make (orgami speaking) a collapsable Japanese anemone box? it kinda looks like the flower on the picture of the box, but more...boxy. If that makes sense.

[Boo]

I just landed on this page in error whilst searching for another tutorial I'd seen on another kind of box - but thought I'd pass on a modification tip I use - I make these very regularly for the jewellery I make and sell and if you start off by drawing two lines on the wrong side (ends up hidden inside the box) of the paper diagonally between the corners, you can use these lines as a guide for your folding (i.e. replacing your fig. 1 and using the drawn lines to start your fig.2) instead of the initial creases. This saves you from getting a cross of creasing across the top of the finished box and through the centre of each side panel.

Maybe that's not true origami of course, using a pencil, but I like the finished results better.

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[seffa]

i looked this up a couple days ago and the tutoriol i got was suckish!
i was banging my fist on the table, but this one was awsome!!!

[heather]

GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!! I have been looking for some origami all day an this is the 1st one to make scence

[Kat]

Hi Lisa
I actually added a google alert for a paper box and this is the best one I've found. I'm so excited. I'm scrapbooking with my sister tonight and I think I'll be making little gift boxes. And, thanks for the link to the poppy corsage. Looks like another fun craft to try. Oh, thanks so much.
Kat