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PlayOwl
A red folded paper shirt with a pointed collar, two short sleeves and a button line in the middle of the neck.
The finished project.

Origami · folding only

Folded Shirt

  • Growing (level 3 of 5)
  • 10 min
  • 9 steps
  • Ages 6–11 (a guide, not a rule)
  • No scissors
  • No glue
  • No adult help needed
Start Making Print

This shirt is a classic folding model. Folding both sides to the middle makes the front of the shirt, two corner folds make the collar, two more swing out as sleeves, and one big fold brings the bottom up to lock under the collar. Fold a few in different colors for a paper clothesline or a card.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Draw buttons, a pocket or a pattern on the front of the shirt.

No square of origami paper? No origami paper? Fold the corner of a printer sheet over to the opposite edge and cut or tear off the extra strip to make a square. Gift wrap with a small pattern makes a fun shirt.

How to place the paper before the first step
Your paper: Put the square down flat, with the white side facing up and straight edges at the top and bottom.
  • Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
  • Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.
  • Hidden edge: gray dots show paper behind another layer.

Step by step

Each step shows what to do (left) and how it should look after (right).

  1. Step 1: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 1 result Result
    Step 1 of 9 Fold and unfold Fold the left edge over to the right edge. Press, then unfold to make a crease down the middle.
  2. Step 2: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 9 Valley fold Fold the left edge in to the middle crease.
  3. Step 3: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 9 Valley fold Fold the right edge in to the middle too. The two edges meet in a line down the middle.
  4. Step 4: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 9 Valley fold Make the collar: fold the top left corner down along a slanted line that starts just left of the middle.
  5. Step 5: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 5 result Result
    Step 5 of 9 Valley fold Fold the top right corner down the same way. The two collar points sit side by side.
  6. Step 6: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 6 result Result
    Step 6 of 9 Valley fold Make a sleeve: at the bottom, fold the corner of the left flap that touches the middle out past the left side.
  7. Step 7: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 7 result Result
    Step 7 of 9 Valley fold Fold the right flap's corner out past the right side the same way to make the second sleeve.
  8. Step 8: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 8 result Result
    Step 8 of 9 Valley fold Fold the whole bottom part up along a line just above the sleeves, so the bottom edge reaches up under the collar.
  9. Step 9: tuck, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 9 result Result
    Step 9 of 9 Tuck Lift the two collar points and tuck the top edge of the shirt under them. Press flat: your shirt is done!
A red folded paper shirt with a pointed collar, two short sleeves and a button line in the middle of the neck.

You made it!

Yours may look a little different. That is part of making things by hand.

Print the steps

If something goes wrong

The sleeves are tiny or point the wrong way.

Start each sleeve fold right at the outer bottom corner, and swing the flap's inside corner outward, away from the middle.

The bottom edge will not reach the collar.

Move the fold-up line a little lower, or fold the collar corners a little smaller so they come down farther.

The shirt springs open.

Press the collar points down hard after tucking, or slip the shirt under a book for a minute.

Helpful hints

  • Line the flap edges up exactly on the middle crease: the shirt stays straight.
  • Press each fold with your fingernail before you start the next one.

The folded shirt, a traditional model often folded from a paper bill; PlayOwl teaches it from a square. Diagrams drawn for PlayOwl.

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