Origami Camelia Flower

Back in 6th grade, I learned how to fold this origami camelia flower and it has become my signature fold for everything. I use it to embellish stationary, presents, mobiles, etc.

Here's three purple origami flowers embellishing a wedding invitation.  These flowers were made with purple origami paper in size 3 in x 3 in.  

 I've had lots of people ask me how to fold it and I cannot find a tutorial of it anywhere online. It's basically the bird fold to a crane with a few extra steps. I decided to finally create a picture tutorial so others can have as much joy as I do folding this lovely origami flower.  I don't know official names for each fold so I have made up my own based on what I think the folds look like.  Definitely post questions if you are confused.  Enjoy!

Use square sheet of paper- this is a 12 x 12 paper.  For a 2 inch flower, use a 3in x 3in square.  I find that more sturdy scrapbooking paper is best for folding this flower if you're gonna use it to embellish presents or magnets.  Normal cardstock would be too thick as some of the folds are very intricate.

Fold your square sheet in half.

Fold in half by folding bottom portion of square sheet to touch top of square sheet.

Fold sheet in half the the other way also so you end up with four even squares.

When folded in half, your sheet will look like a rectangle.

Keep sheet folded in half and pinch each side of your paper and slowly push sides of paper towards the middle.  A diamond shape should appear on top.

Your square sheet of paper will now collapse into a smaller square.

This is what the collapsed square looks like with the top being closed and the bottom or part facing you being open folds.

Keeping the square in front of you in a diamond shape, fold the right side towards the left side.  

You should end up with a crease down the middle of your diamond.

Fold the top right side towards middle crease.  The outside sides should line up with middle crease.

Do the same fold to the left side, flip paper around and do the same to the other two sides.  When all four sides are folded in, you  have a kite shape.  The top portion looks like a triangle. 

Fold the top triangle portion of your kite shape back and forth.

Close of triangle shape on top of your kite.

Your collapsed square should look like this when all creases are folded and paper is opened.  

With the closed top still pointing away from you, open top flap.  

When opening top flap, it will not at first fold flat easily.  It will give you a bit of struggle.

Fold top flat down so the sides collapse and forms a mouth shape that then closes to a diamond.

Push top flap down to finalize diamond shape.

Do the same fold to the other side.  When both sides are folded, you get a diamond shape.

Like flipping the pages of a book, flip the right flap over to the left.  Turn paper over and do the same.

You should maintain diamond shape but now the top part facing away from you looks like two bunny ears.

With bunny ears away from you, take just the top portion of the right side flap and fold it the left towards middle crease.  A bumpy bubble thing will form when you do this fold. 

Another look at this fold.

Here us a close up of that bubble thing.  Push down on that bubbly thing and push it down flat.  

That bubble thing should push down perfectly flat into a triangle.  

Follow the three above steps on the other three sides of your diamond.  Remember to aways keep bunny ears pointing away from you.

Now fold the two bottom flaps up to meet the two top portions that look like bunny ears.

When all four sides are up, you will now have four bunny ear things pointing up.

Top view.

Fold top flap down to meet center side of paper.

It will basically look like you are folding the flap in half.

Here is flap folded all the way down.

Do same fold to each of the other three sides.

When you are done folding each flap down, open them up again.  You will now have a crease.

Open left side of flap similar to creating that mouth fold from earlier.

With both sides of the flap open to the sides, you have this gaping mouth thing.

Gaping mouth.

Fold the top tip of your mouth to meet the bottom tip of your mouth.

You will have this superman shape when you fold close your mouth.

Do the above five "mouth" folds to the other three sides.

With each side folded into superman shapes, now fold the sides of this shape towards the middle crease.

The sides will flap nicely into place,

Here is the superman shape with flaps closed towards middle.

Fold the flaps on each superman shape.

Final look after those flaps are all folded towards the middle.

Here's what the top of your flower looks like closed.

Here's the view of your flower on its side.

Now slowly open each of the four sides down.  These are the petals.  Do not force each fold all the way down- there will be a natural stop.

You will have to use both hands to grasp each of the four sides to slowly pull flower open.  The middle section will sort of bubble up.

Yah!   Your flower is complete.

Beautiful origami flower!