Origami Bunnies - A Tutorial

When I was a kid, my parents were always creative.

From macrame to marble mice, my mom and dad spent a lot of time making things.

My dad was always taking arts-and-craft type things apart to find out how they were made...this apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

My dad was also a public educator for 30 years. He taught 4th grade for most of those years but also spent several years as the art teacher. He continues to teach my kids with occasional impromtu art lessons when we are visiting. Mostly he makes fun things for my kids.

The favorite craft of my kiddos? Rings made from real dollars. When we were in Arizona last Christmas they were asking if he knew how to fold rings from a twenty.  Those kids think they're so smart. (Trust me, I already tried that one.)

One of the many things my dad taught me a bagillion-years ago was how to make origami bunnies. And I have been making them every spring, ever since.

So today I pass on the tradition....

What do you need?

Paper (square) - it doesn't matter what size, as long as its square.

Tape or glue.

Optional: decorations - google eyes, cotton for tail, whatever your decorative heart desires!

Here we go:

(My paper has two different sides so you can see better.)

 1. Take your square paper and.....

 2. Fold one corner to the opposite corner, so you have a triangle.

 3. Do the same thing with the other two corners and open it all up again.

Now, in the pic above you can see my highly effective pink sticky notes...they are pointing to the side of the square that are our next bit of business....

 4. Fold sides in together and crease the middle fold so they lay flat.  You should now have something that looks like this:

 5. Take the right-top corner and fold it up to the top corner of the triangle....

 Press the crease. You now have another little triangle you made that sits on its side.

6. Fold the right sided point toward the middle.

 Just like that....

 7. Next, take the top corner and fold it flush over the side of the little triangle you just made, like this:

 8. Then you take the little wing and fold it in half....

 When you fold that little "wing" into a "flap"; the crease on your flap should be flush with the crease of the bottom fold (done on Step 6.)

 10. This step is the wonkiest part, because you have to take that "wing" you just folded and put it into the "envelope" made by step number 6.

 It was a little difficult to take pictures and fold at the same time! But eventually.....

 Your tucked in flap should fit snug into the envelope and you are ready to do steps 1-10 again only.....

 ...this time you'll start with the left!

 When you have finished the left side your bunny is starting to take shape. This is his underneath side.

 Flip your "half-bunny" over, point side down (or pointing toward you.)

11. Again, starting on the right, take top point of your triangle an fold it toward the middle of the top.

....like so.

 12. Then take that top-most point and fold it down so you have a little triangular flap (this will be an ear!)

 Now do 11-12 on the left side!

 Hooray! You're nearly there!

The next part is a little odd, and it was hard to write out directions so I thought I little video would be better.

Fortunately, last week The Boy held the camera while I worked the last bit of bunny magic. Unfortunately, it was really dark in my office due to wicked weather we had last weekend.  

Here is the new video with my coughing-aching-sniffling-sneezing-making-origami-bunnies-so-i-can-rest self. Did you know the cure for the common cold is crafting?

Oh, that that were true.

Since I am a little under the weather in this video you may have to turn the volume up. My southern accent comes out, and my loud voice gets soft, when I'm feeling like decaf on a regular day.

Happy folding!