Are you looking for a simple Valentine’s Day craft?
Paper window hearts are so fun to make, and they’re really easy too. Kids can make them starting around 7 years old, but teens and adults will have fun with this too!
Maybe you’ve seen beautiful paper sun-catchers in your neighbors’ windows, or in your local Waldorf school and wondered how to make them. These paper window hearts are a GREAT way to try out the origami methods and create something beautiful.
Hang them in your own windows for Valentine’s Day, or all year long. And make enough to share with friends as a handmade Valentine card, or just to share your appreciation any time!
In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to make these beautiful hearts, step by step. You can watch the video to see the whole process, or use the photos and words if you learn better that way. Comment to let me know which instructions work best for you!
By the way, if you prefer video tutorials and need or prefer closed captioning, you can check out the tutorial on my YouTube channel, where there are subtitles.
Video tutorial for paper window hearts:
I made some of these Valentine’s Day window hearts while my kids were out playing, and when they came inside they noticed them on the window right away. My 10 year old exclaimed, “Did you make those hearts in the window? They look so beautiful! Thanks for putting them there.”
The suncatchers add a little bit of extra cheer to our playroom, where the kids spend a good amount of time each day, using their imaginations and playing together.
Origami paper hearts instructions:
You will need:
- Translucent Origami Paper, or Kite Paper cut into squares, two (2) squares per heart. Tissue paper is too thin and fragile.
- A disappearing glue stick
- Clear removable mounting squares, for hanging in your windows without damage.
Step 1: Fold your square in half diagonally. Crease well.
Step 2: Unfold your paper again, and smooth the crease with your fingertip so it will lie flat again.
Step 3: Fold your square diagonally again, the opposite direction. But this time, instead of creasing all the way across, just “mark” the center by making a tiny crease. Unfold the paper again.
Step 4: Fold the two side points into the center, where you’ve just marked. Crease well.
Step 5: Fold the bottom edges to the center line to make a narrower point. Crease well.
Step 6: Fold the top corner into the center of the square, but do not crease all the way across. Just mark the center with a tiny crease. Unfold the top point.
Step 7: Fold the top point to the place you just marked. Crease. You’ve made half of your origami heart!
Step 8: Repeat with the second square of translucent folding square to make the second half of your heart.
Step 9: Play around with the two halves of your origami heart to see how much you’d like them to overlap, keeping the bottom points lined up with each other. When you’ve decided, use your glue stick to glue only where the overlap is.
Your paper window heart is finished! Now craft as many as you’d like, to hang in your own windows or to share with friends and people you love.
Be sure to check out these other Valentine’s Day posts:
And for more translucent paper crafts, be sure to head over to the Paper Window Stars tutorial hub! You’re going to have SO much fun making beautiful origami folded paper sun-catchers for all of your windows.
Paper Window Hearts - Origami Tutorial
Materials
- Translucent Origami Paper, or Kite Paper cut into squares, two (2) squares per heart.
- A disappearing glue stick
- Clear removable mounting squares, for hanging in your windows without damage.
Instructions
- Fold your square in half diagonally. Crease well.
- Unfold your paper again, and smooth the crease with your fingertip so it will lie flat again.
- Fold your square diagonally again, the opposite direction. But this time, instead of creasing all the way across, just “mark” the center by making a tiny crease. Unfold the paper again.
- Fold the two side points into the center, where you’ve just marked. Crease well.
- Fold the bottom edges to the center line to make a narrower point. Crease well.
- Fold the top corner into the center of the square, but do not crease all the way across. Just mark the center with a tiny crease. Unfold the top point.
- Fold the top point to the place you just marked. Crease. You’ve made half of your origami heart!
- Repeat with the second square of translucent folding square to make the second half of your heart.
- Play around with the two halves of your origami heart to see how much you’d like them to overlap, keeping the bottom points lined up with each other. When you’ve decided, use your glue stick to glue only where the overlap is.
- Your paper window heart is finished! Now craft as many as you’d like, to hang in your own windows or to share with friends and people you love.
Notes
If you try this with tissue paper, you will be frustrated. Tissue paper is too thin and fragile, and using the recommended papers is key to your success.
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