A regular hexagon is a shape that keeps turning up: six-pointed stars, six-petaled flowers, snowflake decorations, and whole families of modular rings all start from one. But squares and hexagons rarely meet in the middle, and eyeballing a hexagon by hand usually ends in regret.

This method solves it with geometry. A few precise valley-folds establish the reference lines, two inside reverse-folds shape the edges, and a single cut along the dotted line frees a perfect hexagon from the sheet. Eighteen clear steps, every crease photographed — no ruler, no compass, no guesswork. Let's fold the hexagon.

If you want to make a six-pointed star or a flower with six petals, you need paper in a regular hexagon shape instead of a square. This page shows how to make an origami regular hexagon from a square sheet.

In this instruction, I used 15cm x 15cm origami paper. Of course, the folding method is independent of paper size.

This is the front side of an origami paper.

This is the back side of an origami paper.

STEP 1.

Start with the front side of the paper facing up. Prepare to valley-fold vertically and then unfold.

STEP 2.

Valley-fold the paper in half vertically and then unfold. Prepare to turn the paper over.

STEP 3.

Turn the paper over. Prepare to apply a vertical “gate-fold” and then unfold.

STEP 4.

Apply the vertical “gate-fold” of step 3 and then unfold. Prepare to turn the paper over.

STEP 5.

Turn the paper over. Prepare to apply four valley-folds. Two triangle points should merge on line (1), and two diamond points should merge on line (2).

STEP 6.

Apply the four valley-folds of step 5. Make sure the triangle corner points are on line (1) while the diamond points are on line (2). Prepare to unfold the four valley-folds.

STEP 7.

Unfold the four valley-folds of step 6. Prepare for a horizontal valley-fold.

STEP 8.

Valley-fold in half horizontally according to step 7. Prepare to apply two valley-folds.

STEP 9.

Apply the two valley-folds of step 8. Make sure the triangle corner points are on line (1) while the diamond points are on line (2). Prepare to open the paper.

STEP 10.

Open the paper. Make sure you have the same crease lines as shown on the left.

STEP 11.

Prepare to apply two “inside reverse-folds” (left and right).

STEP 12.

Apply the two “inside reverse-folds” of step 11. Prepare to apply a valley-fold.

STEP 13.

Apply the valley-fold of step 12.

STEP 14.

Prepare to cut along the dotted line.

STEP 15.

Cut along the dotted line as in step 14. Prepare to open the paper.

STEP 16.

Open the paper. Prepare to rotate the paper by 30 degrees.

STEP 17.

Rotate the paper by 30 degrees. Congratulations! You have completed making a regular hexagon.

STEP 18.

After cutting in step 15, the hexagon is taken out of the square paper.