10 Easy Origami Bookmark: Step by Step Instructions

Welcome to the wonderful world of origami bookmarks! In this article, we’ll guide you through creating ten delightful paper companions that will not only keep your place in your favorite books but also bring a touch of handcrafted charm to your reading experience.

Our journey begins with the ultra-practical sticky note bookmark and progresses through geometric designs like the corner bookmark before exploring heartfelt creations that make perfect gifts for loved ones. As we advance, you’ll discover a menagerie of paper animals waiting to guard your pages—playful dogs, fierce sharks, leaping frogs, clever foxes, and purring cats—each with their own unique personality and charm.

So gather your paper, find a comfortable spot, and prepare to fold! 

1. Sticky Note Origami Bookmark

Starting with the simplest design in our collection, the Sticky Note Origami Bookmark is perfect for those moments when you need a bookmark but only have a sticky note at hand. This clever little creation transforms an ordinary office supply into a practical reading companion in just a few folds!

What makes this bookmark so brilliant is its accessibility. Almost everyone has access to sticky notes, whether at home, work, or school. When you suddenly find yourself without a bookmark and don’t want to dog ear those precious pages, this quick solution saves the day.

The finished product is elegantly minimalist—a hollow triangle that slides perfectly onto the corner of your page. 

While the basic design prioritizes function over form, don’t underestimate the potential for customization! By starting with patterned sticky notes or decorating your finished bookmark, you can create something that’s both practical and visually appealing. Consider using notes in your favorite colors or adding small drawings to personalize your reading experience.

2.  Origami Corner Bookmark

Let’s explore another delightfully simple design: the Origami Corner Bookmark. This charming creation starts with a rectangular sheet of paper measuring 7.5×15cm, making it perfect for those who might not have square origami paper on hand. Regular printer paper cut to size works wonderfully for this project!

What makes this bookmark so appealing is its whimsical appearance—when completed, it resembles a tiny house with its pointed roof and square base. There’s something inherently cheerful about marking your place with this miniature architectural form sitting atop your page.

Functionally, this bookmark works just like our previous design, forming a triangle that hugs the corner of your page securely. This clever construction ensures your bookmark won’t slip out easily while reading, yet remains gentle enough to prevent damage to your precious books.

3. Easy Origami Heart Bookmark

Let’s take our bookmark crafting to the next level with a design that adds both challenge and charm to your reading routine. 

For readers who have always wanted to create an origami heart, this design offers the perfect opportunity to learn while creating something genuinely useful. Starting with a square piece of paper, you’ll transform a flat sheet into a dimensional heart that nestles perfectly between your pages.

What makes this bookmark particularly special is its versatility. Use it to mark your place in a romantic novel, gift it along with a book to someone special, or create several in different colors to match your mood or the season. The heart shape adds emotional significance that ordinary bookmarks simply can’t match.

Despite the step up in complexity, don’t be intimidated! This design still falls within reach of beginners who are willing to follow the instructions carefully. The finished bookmark sits firmly on your page, with the heart portion visible above the book’s edge—a cheerful reminder to return to your reading adventure.

4. Origami Heart Bookmark

Let’s explore another heartfelt creation that brings both style and function to your reading experience.

Starting with the same 15×15cm square paper as many of our other projects.

What sets this bookmark apart is its distinctive structure—featuring a smaller heart with an elongated tail that extends downward. This thoughtful design ensures the decorative heart sits prominently above your book while the tail tucks securely between the pages, holding your place with confidence. It’s a perfect balance of form and function!

The smaller heart size doesn’t diminish its visual impact. In fact, this compact heart creates a more subtle yet equally charming effect that works wonderfully for readers who prefer something a bit less bold.

The proportions create an elegant silhouette with the heart serving as a beautiful focal point atop your book.

5. Origami Butterfly Bookmark

Imagine the serene beauty of a delicate butterfly perched gracefully on the edge of your book page. 

This elegant butterfly design requires a rectangular paper measuring 7.5×15cm to achieve its perfect proportions. Don’t worry if you only have square origami paper on hand! Simply fold your square in half and trim along the crease to create two rectangles of the ideal size. This economical approach gives you materials for two beautiful bookmarks from a single sheet.

Feel free to experiment with patterned papers to create unique butterfly variations! Floral prints can mimic the intricate wing patterns of real butterflies, while geometric designs offer a more contemporary interpretation.

As demonstrated in our tutorial, you can also use a black pen to outline the butterfly’s wings and add defining details that bring your creation to life.

6.  Origami Dog Bookmark

Let’s welcome more animals to our origami bookmark collection with this adorably gruff Dog Bookmark! 

Once the basic folding is complete, it’s time to bring your paper pup to life! Use a pen to add eyes, nose, and whiskers to create facial features that enhance the character. These simple additions make an enormous difference, turning geometric folds into an expressive animal face that peers out from your book pages.

Many people have commented that the finished design resembles a bulldog with its characteristic stout appearance and slightly grumpy yet lovable expression. There’s something wonderfully contradictory about this bookmark—it looks simultaneously tough and sweet, capturing that perfect “gruff but gentle” quality that makes bulldogs so endearing.

7.  Origami Shark Bookmark

The Origami Shark Bookmark brings a playful bite of excitement to your reading adventures! This fierce little friend will chomp down on your page corners with its wide-open jaws. Woah, how adorable is that?

To craft this toothy companion, gather your supplies: scissors, glue, colored markers, and an extra small piece of paper. The main shark body folds easily from a square sheet, creating that classic triangular shape we all recognize. What makes this design special is how the shark appears to be swimming right out of your book!

The magic happens when you cut tiny triangular teeth from your extra paper and glue them inside the shark’s mouth. Position them carefully along both the top and bottom jaw for that perfect predator smile. Once the glue dries, use your markers to add expressive eyes to give your shark some personality. Will yours be fierce or friendly? That’s entirely up to you!

When completed, simply slip your shark over the corner of your page, and watch as it appears to be taking a little nibble of your book. It’s not just a bookmark—it’s a conversation starter! Your reading buddies will surely smile when they spot this little ocean predator guarding your place.

8.  Origami Frog Bookmark

Our eighth origami creation brings a delightful amphibian to life!

Imagine a bookmark that not only saves your page but also seems ready to leap off with a cheerful “ribbit!”

That’s right – we’re creating a frog bookmark with bulging eyes and a wide mouth that looks like it’s mid-croak!

The foundation of our frog bookmark shares the same triangular structure as the shark bookmark we explored earlier. This classic origami base provides the perfect starting point for our amphibious friend. To transform this triangle into a proper frog, we carefully trim the main body to create the frog’s distinctive curved mouth.

Don’t throw away those trimmed pieces! They’ll be repurposed to create two round eyes that will give our frog its characteristic surprised expression. Simply cut two circles from the leftover paper and attach them to the frog’s face. The final touch comes with drawing a small nose to complete our frog’s adorable features.

9.  Origami Fox Bookmark

Let’s move on to our ninth creation in this origami journey! Say hello to the clever fox bookmark that will slyly keep your place while adding a touch of woodland charm to your reading experience. With its pointed ears and sharp snout, this little creature captures the essence of its cunning forest counterpart.

For this adorable fox bookmark, you’ll need a 15×15cm square paper in your favorite fox-like color—perhaps a vibrant orange or a rustic reddish-brown would be perfect! The wonderful news is that this project requires no glue or scissors whatsoever, making it a pure origami experience that relies solely on the art of folding.

The slightly challenging aspect is that you’ll need to add some personal artistic touches to bring your fox to life. Drawing the eyes, nose, and defining those characteristic ears will be crucial in transforming your folded paper into a recognizable fox. These small details are what give your creation its foxy personality and charm!

Don’t worry if you’re not confident in your drawing skills! Our tutorial breaks down each step so clearly that even beginners can achieve a delightful result. The folding sequence creates the perfect canvas for your fox’s face, and with just a few simple marks, your bookmark will transform into a playful fox ready to peek out from between your pages.

10.  Origami Cat Bookmark

And now for our final origami creation in this collection! We’re wrapping up with an absolutely adorable cat bookmark that’s purr-fect for all the feline enthusiasts out there.

If you count yourself among those who adore our whisker-faced friends, this bookmark will surely become your new favorite page-keeper!

Just like our previous designs, this charming cat bookmark requires nothing more than a 15×15cm square paper of your choosing.

Perhaps select a color that reminds you of your favorite kitty—a sleek black, pristine white, or perhaps a warm orange tabby shade?

The beauty of this particular design lies in its simplicity—no scissors, no glue, and no colored pens needed! This bookmark comes to life through the magic of folding alone.

Afterthoughts

And there you have it—ten delightful origami bookmarks to enhance your reading journey!

We hope you’ve enjoyed folding along with us and discovering just how rewarding this ancient paper art can be.

We’d love to see your bookmark creations! Share photos of your finished projects online or with friends to inspire others to discover the joy of origami.

And don’t stop here—keep exploring new designs, inventing your own variations, and finding moments of mindfulness in the gentle art of paper folding.

Happy reading and happy folding to all our paper-crafting friends!