Easy Origami Paper Umbrella Tutorial: Fun Craft

How to Make Paper Umbrellas are a delightful little craft that’s truly easy peasy and fun! Imagine tiny, colorful umbrellas, perfectly formed with crisp folds, ready to add a touch of whimsical charm to anything you like. These are wonderfully suited for complete beginners, fantastic for kids’ craft sessions, or even for making unique little gifts and decorations. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can create a whole cluster – I usually make a few in about 15-20 minutes.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through each step together, showing you how to transform a simple square of paper into a charming, functional-looking miniature umbrella. You’ll learn basic folding techniques that are super simple to master. Let’s grab some paper and get folding!

How to Make Paper Umbrellas – Easy Peasy and Fun!

Hello there, fellow paper crafters! Today, we’re going to embark on a delightful origami adventure to create a charming paper umbrella. These little creations are surprisingly simple to make and add a wonderful touch to any project, from scrapbooking to decorating your room. They’re also incredibly versatile, so get ready to have some fun!

Choosing Your Paper

The first step in any origami project is selecting the right paper. For our little umbrellas, you have a few options, and honestly, almost anything will work to get you started!

• Type of Paper: For absolute beginners, I highly recommend using standard origami paper. This paper is designed specifically for folding, meaning it’s thin enough to make crisp folds but strong enough to hold its shape. Printer paper can also work, but it tends to be a bit thicker and can sometimes make the final model a little bulky. If you want to get fancy later, consider using patterned paper or even thin cardstock.
• Weight: Origami paper typically comes in weights around 60-80 gsm (grams per square meter). This is perfect for our umbrellas. If you use heavier paper, you might find it harder to make sharp creases, and the umbrella might not open up as nicely.
• Size: A good starting size for your paper is 6 inches by 6 inches (or 15 cm by 15 cm). This is a very common origami size and will give you a nicely sized umbrella. You can certainly go bigger or smaller depending on your preference. Just remember that if you use a larger square, your umbrella will be larger, and vice-versa.
• Single or Double Sided: For this project, both single-sided and double-sided paper work beautifully. If you use single-sided paper, the white side will end up on the inside of the umbrella, which can look quite neat. If you use double-sided paper, you’ll have a pop of colour or pattern showing on both sides, which is also lovely. For a traditional umbrella look, I often prefer single-sided paper with a coloured top and a white bottom.

Essential Base Folds

Before we dive into the umbrella itself, let’s get comfortable with a couple of fundamental origami folds that we’ll be using. Making these folds cleanly is key to a beautiful finished product.

The first fold we’ll be using is a simple valley fold. Imagine you’re folding a piece of paper in half. You bring one edge to meet another edge, and then you press down along the crease. This creates a crease that dips inwards, like a valley. Always make your creases as sharp and precise as possible. Run your fingernail along the fold to make it crisp.

The second fold is a mountain fold. This is the opposite of a valley fold. If you were to unfold a valley fold, the crease would pop outwards, like a mountain range. We’ll be making some valley folds first and then sometimes folding them backwards to become mountain folds. Again, sharpness is crucial!

Step-by-Step Umbrella Folding

Now, let’s get folding! I’ll guide you through each step. Remember to take your time and enjoy the process.

1. Start with your square piece of paper. If you’re using single-sided paper, place it on your work surface with the coloured side facing down (so the white side is facing up towards you).
2. Fold the paper in half diagonally. Bring the bottom-left corner up to meet the top-right corner. Crease well, then unfold.
3. Now, fold the paper in half diagonally the other way. Bring the bottom-right corner up to meet the top-left corner. Crease well, then unfold. You should now have two diagonal creases forming an ‘X’ on your paper.
4. Flip the paper over so the coloured side is facing up.
5. Fold the paper in half horizontally. Bring the bottom edge up to meet the top edge. Crease well, then unfold.
6. Fold the paper in half vertically. Bring the left edge over to meet the right edge. Crease well, then unfold. You should now have a grid of creases on your paper.
7. Now comes a slightly trickier part, but don’t worry! We’re going to collapse the paper into a waterbomb base. With the coloured side still facing up, gently push the left and right sides of the paper inwards along the vertical crease. As you do this, the top point should naturally come down to meet the bottom point. You’ll see the paper starting to form a triangle. Flatten it down, making sure all the creases are neat. You should now have a triangle with two flaps on each side.
8. Orient the triangle so the open points are at the bottom and the single point is at the top.
9. Take the right flap of the top layer and fold its bottom-right edge up to meet the centre vertical crease. Crease firmly.
10. Repeat with the left flap of the top layer. Fold its bottom-left edge up to meet the centre vertical crease. Crease firmly. You should now have a kite shape on the top layer.
11. Flip the entire model over.
12. Repeat steps 9 and 10 on this side. Fold the right flap’s bottom-right edge up to meet the centre crease, and then fold the left flap’s bottom-left edge up to meet the centre crease. You should now have a kite shape on both sides.
13. Now, we’re going to create the umbrella’s canopy. Take the top right flap (one of the pointy bits that sticks out from the side) and fold it over to the left, so its edge lines up with the centre vertical crease. Crease it down.
14. Repeat with the top left flap. Fold it over to the right, so its edge lines up with the centre vertical crease. Crease it down.
15. Flip the model over and repeat steps 13 and 14 on this side. Fold the top right flap over to the left, and the top left flap over to the right, aligning their edges with the centre crease.
16. Now, look at your model. You should have four pointy bits sticking out on each side. Take one of these pointy bits and fold it upwards, tucking it into the pocket formed by the previous folds. We are essentially folding these points inwards to secure the umbrella shape. Do this for all four points on this side.
17. Flip the model over and repeat step 16 for the other four pointy bits. Tuck them securely into their pockets.
18. Almost there! Hold the umbrella by the bottom point. Gently pull the layers apart at the bottom. This will open up the umbrella’s canopy. You might need to gently coax the folds to open.
19. To give your umbrella a bit more structure, you can gently press the very top point downwards. This will help to flatten the centre and make the umbrella stand up better.

Common Beginner Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Don’t worry if your first umbrella isn’t perfect. Origami takes practice, and there are a couple of common spots where beginners often stumble.

• Imprecise Creases: This is the most common issue. If your creases aren’t sharp and accurate, especially in the initial diagonal and horizontal/vertical folds, the subsequent steps will be difficult. Always use your fingernail or a bone folder to make your creases as crisp as possible. Ensure opposite edges or corners meet perfectly before you crease.
• Difficulty with the Waterbomb Base: Step 7, collapsing the paper into a waterbomb base, can feel a bit counter-intuitive at first. The key here is to work with the existing creases you made. Gently push in on the sides, allowing the creases to guide the paper into the triangular shape. Don’t force it; let the folds do the work. It’s helpful to visualize the paper wanting to fold along those pre-made lines.
• Not Securing the Points (Step 16): If you don’t tuck those pointy bits securely into their pockets, your umbrella might pop open unexpectedly or not hold its shape well. Take your time to ensure each point is tucked firmly and snugly into its corresponding pocket. This is what locks the umbrella’s structure.

Varying Your Umbrellas

One of the best things about origami is how easy it is to customize! Here are a few ideas to make your umbrellas unique:

• Size: As mentioned, simply use a larger or smaller square of paper. For mini-umbrellas, try 3-inch squares. For larger decorative ones, try 8-inch or even 10-inch squares.
• Paper Pattern: Go wild with patterned paper! Floral prints, polka dots, stripes, geometric designs – they all look fantastic on these little umbrellas. You can even use scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper if it’s not too thick.
• Colour: Experiment with different colour combinations. Use a bright, solid colour for a cheerful look, or try metallics for a touch of elegance. You can also use a different coloured paper for the inside than the outside if you’re feeling adventurous and can find paper that’s the same size and weight but different colours.

Displaying and Gifting Your Creations

These little paper umbrellas are so charming, and there are tons of ways to enjoy them:

• Decorations: String them together to make a beautiful garland. Hang them from the ceiling or a mobile for a whimsical touch. They’re perfect for parties, baby showers, or just brightening up a craft corner.
• Scrapbooking and Card Making: A tiny umbrella adds the perfect finishing touch to a themed scrapbook page or a handmade card. You can glue them flat or pop them up slightly for dimension.
• Gift Toppers: Instead of a traditional bow, tie one of these little umbrellas to the top of a gift. It’s a unique and personal touch that your recipient will love.
• Craft Projects: Glue them onto bookmarks, use them as part of a larger paper sculpture, or even attach them to keychains (with a bit of extra reinforcement).
• Party Favors: Package a few in a small cellophane bag with a thank-you note for a sweet and memorable party favor.

I hope you’ve enjoyed making these delightful paper umbrellas! They’re a testament to how simple folds can create something truly special. Happy folding, and enjoy your new paper creations!

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing your very own paper umbrellas! We hope you had a delightful time folding these charming little creations. Don’t worry if your first attempt wasn’t perfect – every origami artist knows that practice makes perfect, and your initial folds are valuable learning experiences. Now that you’ve mastered these easy peasy paper umbrellas, why not share your beautiful finished models with friends and family? They make wonderful decorations or thoughtful handmade gifts.

For your next crafting adventure, consider trying out a few variations. You could experiment with different sized paper to create a collection of varied umbrellas, or try using patterned paper for a more vibrant look. There are so many exciting paper projects waiting for you to discover! We invite you to continue exploring the wonderful world of origami and paper crafting with us.