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This device cannot show the 3D view. Follow the step pictures and text below instead.
1. Crease the centre line
White side up. Fold the right edge over to the left edge and unfold to mark the vertical centre line.
2. Fold the sides to the centre
Fold the left and right edges in to meet on the centre line, like closing two doors.
3. Crease the top and bottom
Fold the top edge and then the bottom edge to the middle, creasing well, and unfold each again.
4. Pull out the bottom corners
Fold the bottom edge up to the middle along its crease while pulling the two hidden corners out to the sides as points. Press it flat.
5. Pull out the top corners
Do the same at the top: fold the top edge down to the middle while pulling the two hidden corners out to the sides, and press flat. You get a long hexagon.
6. Fold the bottom points down: lower wings
Fold each bottom point down along the line from the centre point to the bottom corner of the middle square. The two points meet below the middle: these are the lower wings.
7. Fold the top half behind
Mountain-fold the top half behind along the horizontal middle line. The model becomes a wide upside-down triangle.
8. Narrow the lower wings
Top layers only: fold the outer edge in along the line from the top corner of the middle square to the middle of the lower wing’s outer edge. Repeat on the other side.
9. Fold in half
Fold the whole model in half along the vertical centre line, left side over to the right.
10. Fold the top wing back to the left
Fold the top half back over to the left along a slanted line close to the folded edge: a little away from the fold at the top, meeting it at the bottom of the upper wing. A narrow body is left along the fold.
11. Turn over
Turn the model over sideways. Both pairs of wings now show.
12. Fold this wing over too
Now fold the top half over to the right along the slanted line that lies exactly on the one you folded on the other side. All the wings lie together, with the body between them.
13. Spread the wings
Gently spread the wings apart. The body stands up in the middle and the wings make a shallow V: your butterfly is done!
1. Crease the centre line
White side up. Fold the right edge over to the left edge and unfold to mark the vertical centre line.
Tip:
Finished!
Well done! Watch it again or try another model.
Finishing ideas
- Open the wings wider or close them a little: depending on the angle, the butterfly seems to rest or to take off.
- Folded from small (7.5 cm) or patterned paper, it makes a pretty decoration for a card or a gift.