How to Make an Origami Maple Leaf

ByFlorent Fabre

Designer: Michael G. LaFosse

Michael G. LaFosse’s origami maple leaf is a perfect little project for fall.

It has the familiar maple leaf shape, with a tall center point, two side lobes, and a short stem. My favorite detail is the series of small mountain folds across the front. They create the veins of the leaf and really bring the model to life in the final steps.

Difficulty: Easy – Beginner level 5
Folding time: 20 minutes

Early Access for Origami Friends

Want to fold this model today? It’s available right now for Origami Friends before it’s released to everyone.

Support Origami.me and get instant access, plus the full PDF library, early releases, partner discounts, and an ad-free site.

Unlock early access with Origami Friends

$2/month · cancel anytime

Already an Origami Friend? Unlock the full tutorial →

Author Florent Fabre

Hi, I’m Flo, and I’m the hands behind Origami.me.

After spending more than five years immersed in Japanese culture, I slowly fell in love with origami and the quiet focus that comes with folding paper. What started as simple curiosity became a real passion, not only for the art itself, but also for the calm, creativity, and mindfulness it brings to everyday life.

Today, I create tutorials, work with origami artists from around the world, and help beginners discover that anyone can learn origami, one fold at a time.

Designer Michael G. LaFosse

Michael G. LaFosse is an origami artist, designer, papermaker, author, and teacher known especially for his lifelike designs inspired by the natural world. Trained as a biologist, he brings a close observation of animals, plants, and other natural forms to his work. In 1996, he co-founded Origamido Studio with Richard L. Alexander, where they create original origami and handmade papers designed specifically for folding.

Diagrammer Peter Buchan-Symons

Peter Buchan-Symons is an Oxford-based origami designer who has been folding paper since childhood. With a love for clean, intuitive instructions, he creates many of the diagrams you’ll find on Origami.me and in our membership. Peter’s models blend creativity with the crisp logic of his mathematics background, making his work both fun to fold and easy to follow.