Dollar Bill Flamingo

By Kate Miller-Wilson

If you love making origami shapes out of paper money, you might enjoy creating a dollar bill flamingo. This project can be the perfect way to give the gift of money, especially if you're contributing to someone's vacation fund.

About Money Origami

In Japanese culture, it's very popular to give money as a gift on special occasions. Rather than simply sticking a gift card in an envelope, Japanese paper folders often make elaborate creations out of paper money. This is a great way to make what might be an impersonal gift into something special and meaningful.

Folding money into three-dimensional shapes differs from traditional origami in two significant ways:

A dollar bill is shaped like a long rectangle, rather than a square. This shape difference results in some significant changes in how you will fold the paper.
Paper money is usually made with cotton fibers, which means it behaves a little differently than traditional origami paper. It may be more difficult to get paper money to hold a crease, so some people use a bone folder or other straight-edge to get the crisp fold they need for elaborate origami creations.

Symbolism of the Flamingo

In the United States, flamingos are typically associated with Florida and beach vacations, but throughout the world, they are considered signs of rebirth. Some varieties of flamingo lay their eggs on ground that is parched and hot, and the survival of the young gives the birds the image of rising from the ashes, much like a phoenix.

If you're considering giving someone a money origami flamingo, you might choose one of the following reasons:

To show sympathy after a difficult event
To indicate your support for a new endeavor
To help finance a fun vacation
To contribute to a Florida retirement fund

Making a Dollar Bill Flamingo

When it comes to money origami, the flamingo is considered a fairly advanced project. Because of its delicate legs and neck, this origami bird requires absolute precision and several steps. If you're new to dollar bill origami, consider honing your skills on a simpler project like the following before tackling the flamingo:

Dollar Bill Origami Hat
How to Fold a Money Origami Rabbit
Origami Money Shirt with Tie
How to Make an Origami Flower from a Dollar Bill

Since this project is so complex, it's important to have a good set of instructions to follow. Unfortunately, the complicated and specific nature of this project means that there is very little available in the way of tutorials or videos. Luckily, one popular origami book offers great directions for this folded shape.

Dollar Bill Origami by John Montroll

Dollar Bill Origami has excellent diagrams for making a variety of money origami projects, including a flamingo. The clear writing and helpful arrows make it easy to follow the steps and create the images shown in the book.

The dollar bill flamingo instructions are laid out in 21 separate steps, each with its own diagram. The folds are named for clarity and in case you're familiar with some of the common origami terminology.

You can buy this book at Amazon.com or another online bookstore. It may also be available in your local bookshop. For those on a budget, you might consider looking for the book at your local library. If the library does not have a copy, they may be able to obtain it through inter-library loan.