Simple Origami Money Flower
An origami flower arrangment, made out of money, makes a lovely gift idea for a birthday, graduation, or other special occasion. Flowers made from money are not difficult to fold either. Most are based on modular origami designs that create a finished flower when you join several identically-folded units. In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a flower that uses five bills. It can be given as the sole gift, or placed into an arrangement of flowers that includes traditional origami blooms or other money origami flowers.
Iron Bills if Needed
Using dollar bills is the standard for money origami, but you can choose a larger bill if your budget permits. Make sure your bills are nice and crisp. Getting bills from a bank teller is best, but it's possible to iron the bills on low heat if needed. Use a spritz of Aleene's Stiffen Quick on each bill before ironing.
Make a Crease
Start with the reverse side of your bill face up. Fold the first bill in half lengthwise and then unfold the bill to make a crease.
Fold the Corners
Fold the corners in to meet the middle crease.
Fold the Edges
Fold the top and bottom edges in to meet the middle crease.
Fold in Half
Fold the bill in half again.
Repeat with Remaining Bills
Repeat the steps to make a total of five, identically-folded units.
Join with Floral Wire
Stack the units on top of each other. Twist floral wire around the units to join them together.
Making the Flower Stand
If you want to put the flower in a vase, twist the wire around a wooden grilling skewer that has been cut to the appropriate length for the vase. This will make it easier for the flower to stand up properly.
Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love.
Fluff the Petals
Fluff up the petals to make your flower the desired fullness.
Using Origami Paper
If you want to make a bouquet of flowers as a gift, but your budget doesn't allow for an arrangement of money flowers, you can make this design with sheets of six-by-six-inch colored origami paper cut in half. The paper won't be the exact same size as a dollar bill, but the proportions are close enough to make the project work as long as you start with the white side of your paper face up as you're working through the steps. Adding a few colored flowers in with your money origami flowers can create an attractive look for your gift.
How to Unravel
Some people keep money origami flower arrangements as a permanent display, but it's likely that your recipient will eventually want to take apart the flowers. Since people who are unfamiliar with money origami might not understand how to disassemble the flowers without ripping the bills, it's helpful to put a note into a card that explains the process. You could write something like, "When you're ready to spend your money origami flowers, you will need to twist open the wire in the center of the flower to free the bills. Each flower is made with five separate bills that will need to be unfolded before spending.
If you're giving a gift to a guy, you may want to forego the flowers and try this origami money shirt and tie instead.
