Origami Money Envelope

This tutorial, although more useful around Christmas and Chinese New Year, is one origami that I actually use quite often. I find putting money in a basic envelope boring, so I resort to this clean & classic paper-folding trick instead. Origami money envelope tutorial this way.

Start out with a rectangular sheet of paper. This patterned paper is from my current favorite stack, DCWV Girlhood.

Fold the rectangle in half, crosswise. (Boy, the term crosswise sure brings be back to my highschool days.)

Next, fold back the top flap towards the bottom edge. It should be a quarter-sheet fold.

Then, fold that same flap up, back to the last crease you made. This is now an eighth fold.

Open up the last step, and make yet another fold. Now, a sixteenth fold.

Fold that last fold over to create a pocket or flap. This fold will later serve as the envelope’s “belt” to keep the envelope secure.

Move onto the bottom corner. Make a dog-ear fold with the bottom right corner.

Repeat the dog-ear fold with the bottom left corner.

Flip the sheet of paper over. Fold over one side, up until the edge of the dog-ear.

Repeat the same fold on the other side. Make sure to fold these creases really well.

Flip the sheet back over.

Next, let’s work on the top flap of the envelope. Start out by folding the top all the way to meet the edge of the “belt.”

Then, fold the top flap all the way down, making a center crease right across the center.

These next couple folds are a little tricky. You will need to make small diagonal creases in the small rectangular sections above the center fold.

On the right, make a ↘ fold from corner to corner.

On the left, make a ↙ fold from corner to corner.

Okay, let’s start finishing up this envelope. Unfold one layer of the bottom folds.

Remember the dog-ear folds from earlier? Pop the triangle open, starting with one side.

Repeat the same with the other side.

After unfolding the triangles, fold the “belt” portion back down.

Slowly tug on the middle of one of the dog-ear triangles upward.

Just until you’re able to fold the side flap back towards the center.

Take the corner dog-ear again, and tuck it under, securing the side flap in place.

Repeat on the other side. Tug the center of the triangle dog-ear slowly, to fold the flap over.

Tuck the dog-ear under, securing the entire bottom section in place.

We’ll make a couple more dog-ear folds now. Fold the top corners, just until the first crease.

Repeat on the other side. Are you starting to see our origami money envelope forming now?

Much like earlier, pop the dog ear open.

Fold inward until the creases align.

Now, tuck all those folds inside the envelope. This is where the mini ↘ crease comes in handy.

Repeat on the other side.

Simply fold the top corner down.

And tuck into the “belt” to seal!

All done! Adorable, yes?

Tag @mikkomix or @itrydiy when you post your final projects on instagram. I’d love to see your work! Happy crafting!