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1. Fold in half through every corner
Start with a regular pentagon: fold a square into one with our “Regular pentagon” model, then unfold the parts folded behind and cut them off along the creases. White side up, fold in half on the line from a corner to the middle of the opposite side, and unfold. Do the same through all five corners.
2. Collapse into the five-flap base
White side up and a corner pointing down, use the creases to bring all five corners together at the bottom and press flat. The middles of the sides fold up as valleys and become the outer edges; the coloured side ends up outside.
3. Squash the right flap
Lift the top right flap upright, open its two layers and press it flat so its folded edge lies on the centre line. A coloured triangle shows above a white one.
4. Petal fold
Crease the two lower edges of the white triangle to the centre line, and the horizontal line joining the ends of those creases. Lift the coloured layer below the horizontal line upwards: its sides swing in to the centre line while the lower edges of the white layer underneath fold in along the creases. Flatten: a small diamond flap points up in the middle.
5. Turn a layer; repeat
Turn the top right layer over to the left like a page. Squash the flap now on the right and petal fold it the same way.
6. Turn over; repeat
Turn the model over. Squash the top right flap the same way and petal fold it.
7. Turn a layer; repeat
Turn the top right layer to the left, then squash and petal fold the flap that appears.
8. Repeat on the last flap
Turn one more layer to the left and do the same on the last flap. With all five flaps done, the model is a long diamond.
9. Turn it upside down
Turn the model so the wide part is at the top. The five points at the top will be the petals.
10. Turn a layer; narrow
Turn the top left layer over to the right to show a smooth face. Fold the two lower edges of that face to the centre line; the creases start at the bottom point.
11. Turn two layers; narrow
Turn two layers from left to right to show the next smooth face. Fold its two lower edges to the centre line.
12. Turn over; narrow
Turn over and turn one layer from left to right. Fold the lower edges of the face that appears to the centre line.
13. Turn two layers; narrow
Turn two layers from left to right and fold the lower edges of the new face to the centre line.
14. Narrow the last face
Turn two layers from left to right and fold the lower edges of the last face to the centre line. All five faces are now narrow.
15. Gather the petals
Turn the top layer on the right over to the left. Turn over, then turn the top layer on the left over to the right. Now the petals lie in two stacks: three on one side, two on the other.
16. Fold the petal tips out
Fold the tip of the top petal on each side outwards and down along a slanted line. Fold the bottom petal on each side out the same way behind.
17. Fold the middle petal’s tip
Turn the top petal on the right (two layers) over to the left. Fold the tip of the middle petal, now on top on the right, outwards and down too.
18. Open the flower and stand it up
Gently pull the five petals apart so they spread evenly around the middle, and stand the flower up. Your star-shaped bellflower is done!
1. Fold in half through every corner
Start with a regular pentagon: fold a square into one with our “Regular pentagon” model, then unfold the parts folded behind and cut them off along the creases. White side up, fold in half on the line from a corner to the middle of the opposite side, and unfold. Do the same through all five corners.
Tip:
Finished!
Well done! Watch it again or try another model.
Finishing touches
- Gently curl each petal outwards over a pencil or the edge of a ruler: the flower opens up like a real bellflower.
- A pentagon from a 15 cm square is small and fiddly; try a bigger square (about 24 cm) the first time.
- Fold the “Stem with leaf” model and push it into the hole under the flower for a whole plant.