How to Fold an Easy Origami Wallet

By
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pushkin, also known as Chrissy Pk, is an origami and paper craft expert and writer with 15 years of experience. Chrissy founded the popular website and YouTube channel, Paper Kawaii, where she creates tutorials, templates, printable origami paper, and handmade crafts.
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Updated on 08/11/20
easy origami wallet diagram 1
Chrissy Pk
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Yield: 1 wallet
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Learn how to make a useful origami wallet that you can put real money into, using one sheet of rectangular paper. This quick and easy origami wallet is a great project for kids and adults. The wallet makes a great Father's Day gift if you make it with thick paper for extra durability.

Though it takes a long piece of rectangular paper to make this wallet, in a pinch, you can use two sheets of A4-sized (letter) paper. Put them side by side and overlap them a tiny bit so you can glue them together. Once you have a handle on making a longer wallet, you can experiment making shorter wallets that hold credit cards.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Glue (optional)

Materials

  • 1 sheet 11-inch by 17-inch A3 paper (or 2 sheets letter-sized paper to glue together, optional)

Instructions

  1. Beginning Folds

    Start with your rectangular paper in a landscape position.

    1. Fold the bottom up to the top and make a crease and unfold, this is the central fold. Don't over-crease this, it's going to be where the wallet folds in half.
    2. Using your currency as a guide, fold the bottom edge upwards. You will leave a gap here, depending on your note's size.
    3. Fold the bottom upwards, along the central fold.
    4. Fold the top down over the front layer, using it as a guide. This ensures that the fold​s are equal on each side.
    easy origami wallet diagram 2
    Chrissy Pk

  2. Keep Folding

    1. Unfold the paper back to the start. Fold the bottom flap up a little, about 1/4 inch, to make the outside pockets more durable.
    2. Refold the paper at the central fold.
    3. Fold the top edge down over the front layer, using it as a guide. Unfold.
    4. Fold the bottom right and top right corners diagonally inwards, along the creases that are indicated.
    easy origami wallet diagram 3
    Chrissy Pk

  3. Finishing Up

    1. Refold the creases that are indicated.
    2. Flip the paper over, top to bottom, keeping the flaps you just folded on the right side.
    3. Fold the right end to the left, you can customize how big you want the front pockets on the inside of the wallet by folding less or more.
    4. Fold the left end to the right and inside the two pockets. Depending on your currency note size, you may need to leave a small gap. Straighten out the folds and make sure it's all lined up. Now you can fold the wallet in half, and it's complete.
    easy origami wallet diagram 4
    Chrissy Pk