How to Make an Origami Bookmark

1. 1

   Step 1: Fold the Paper into a Tall Rectangle

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   Start with a 21cm x 9cm rectangle of red origami paper laid flat. Orient it so the long side runs vertical. Fold the right edge over to meet the left edge so the paper now sits half as wide. Press the crease flat with your thumbnail. This long center crease sets the spine of the tie.

   Tip:

   Use 21cm x 9cm paper specifically - it gives the tie the right proportion. Standard 6-inch origami squares will fold into a bookmark but the body comes out too short.

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   Used in this stepRed Origami Paper PackBone Folder Tool

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2. 2

   Step 2: Bring the Top Corners to the Center

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   Open the paper back to full width but keep the long center crease visible. Take the top right corner and fold it diagonally so the top edge lines up with the center crease. Repeat on the left. The top of the paper now looks like a peaked roof - flat sides on the bottom, two diagonal edges meeting at the top center.

   Tip:

   The two diagonal flaps should meet exactly along the center crease without overlapping. If one runs past, the tie will end up asymmetric.

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   Used in this stepPatterned Origami Paper

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3. 3

   Step 3: Tuck the Bottom Up Under the Peak

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   Lift the bottom edge of the paper and fold it upward, sliding the edge under the two diagonal flaps you just made. The bottom edge tucks inside the peak. This creates a hidden pocket that locks the front of the tie together later when you build the knot.

   Tip:

   Slide the bottom edge under the diagonal flaps, not over them. The tuck only works if the flaps cover the inside edge.

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   Used in this stepDecorative Scissors Set

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4. 4

   Step 4: Unfold to See the Crease Map

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   Now unfold everything back to the flat square. Do not unfold completely - you want all the crease lines you just made to stay visible. You should see a long vertical center crease, two short diagonal creases at the top forming an X, and a horizontal fold across the lower third. These are the guide lines for the next phase.

   Tip:

   If your crease lines look faint, run a bone folder or the back of a fingernail along each one. Sharp creases make the next folds collapse into the right shape on their own.

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   Used in this stepOrigami Paper Variety Pack

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5. 5

   Step 5: Form the Tie Shoulders

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   Fold both long edges into the vertical center crease so the paper narrows into a tall thin rectangle. As you press the upper section flat, pinch the top corners inward. Small triangular flaps will pop out to the left and right at the top. These triangles become the shoulders of the tie - the part that sits against the collar.

   Tip:

   The shoulder triangles need the crease map from step 4 to work. If they refuse to pop out cleanly, go back and reinforce the diagonal creases at the top.

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   Used in this stepOrigami Bone Folder

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6. 6

   Step 6: Build the Collar

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   Lift the lower body of the tie up so the shoulder triangles fold outward and pull the collar shape into 3D. The top of the paper now reads clearly as a shirt collar with a tie body hanging from the middle. Press each crease flat with a bone folder or fingernail before moving on.

   Tip:

   If the collar looks crooked, the long edges in step 5 probably did not meet exactly on the center crease. Open and realign before continuing.

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   Used in this stepCraft Paper Trimmer

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7. 7

   Step 7: Reverse-Fold the Knot

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   Open the upper section slightly and reverse-fold so the diagonal creases pull inward and meet at a single center point. The top now reads as two diamond shapes stacked vertically - the upper diamond is the knot and the lower diamond is the start of the tie body. Press both diamonds flat.

   Tip:

   Reverse folds feel counterintuitive the first time. The trick is to use the existing creases - if they are sharp, the paper falls into the right position with very little force.

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   Used in this stepDouble-Sided Origami Paper

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8. 8

   Step 8: Fold In the Collar Tabs

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   Find the two small triangular flaps at the top corners of the knot. Fold each one inward toward the center. These tiny tabs are the collar - the small edges that sit beside the knot on a real necktie. The tie now starts to look unmistakably like a tie rather than a piece of folded paper.

   Tip:

   Keep the tabs symmetric. Even a millimeter of difference between left and right shows up on the finished knot.

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   Used in this stepWashi Tape Set

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9. 9

   Step 9: Shape the Windsor Knot

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   Pinch the middle of the knot and gently push the sides toward each other so a small dimple forms at the top. This is the exact dimple a real Windsor knot has - the 3D detail that takes the tie from "paper craft" to "folded gift." Stop pinching and the knot holds the shape on its own.

   Tip:

   If the dimple flattens out after a few minutes, run a small drop of glue inside the knot to lock the 3D shape. Optional but worth it on gift bookmarks.

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   Used in this stepTacky Glue Pen

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10. 10

    Step 10: Slide Over a Book Page

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    Flip the bookmark over and check the back is flat. Find a book, open it to your current page, and slide the long bottom tail down over the page from the top corner. The triangular knot hooks onto the page edge and the tie body hangs down the front like a real necktie. Job done. Put it in Dad's reading copy of whatever he is on, or stack three on his nightstand with a card.

    Tip:

    Make three at once in different colors. The tie shape stores flat in an envelope and ships easily in a Father's Day card.

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    Used in this stepFather's Day Gift CardOrigami Paper Sampler

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Keep going

How to Make an Embroidered Father's Day Card

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