How to Make an Origami Spider (Easy Step-by-Step + Video)

A handful of little paper spiders scattered across a Halloween wall display is exactly the kind of detail that makes the whole scene feel finished, cute rather than creepy, but still unmistakably Halloween.

You’ll fold four to six origami spiders from a single square sheet of black or purple craft paper, in about fifteen to twenty minutes each, then finish each one with a pair of googly eyes.

This is Day 4 of the Cute-Spooky Halloween Wall Display series, following the felt garland, origami bats, and origami ghosts you’ve likely already folded. On assembly day, these spiders get scattered randomly between the bats and ghosts, filling in the lower wall and mantel edge, with a few tucked in unexpected spots for a lived-in look.

Origami Spider at a Glance

• Difficulty: Intermediate (the leg-cutting step takes a steady hand)
• Time: 15 to 20 minutes per spider
• Cost: Under $1 per spider using paper you likely already have
• Ages: 8 and up, with an adult nearby for the cutting steps
• Best for: Halloween wall displays, garlands, and party decor

What You Need to Make Origami Spiders

Materials

• 1 square sheet of craft paper per spider (about 6×6 in), black or purple, because darker shades read as spooky from a few steps back but still look cute once a face is added.
• 2 small googly eyes per spider, for the friendly on-theme face; cut circles of white and black paper work too if you’re out of googly eyes.
• A small scrap of light pink or peach paper, for the blush cheeks that soften the look.
• Glue stick or a dab of craft glue, to hold the eyes and blush cheeks in place.

Tools

• Scissors, for cutting the leg slits.
• A black gel pen, for drawing the smiling mouth.

How to Make Origami Spiders

Step 1: Set the Base Creases

Start with a square sheet of paper. Fold it in half diagonally from each corner, then unfold, so you’re left with two diagonal creases crossing in the middle. Flip the paper over and fold it in half horizontally, then vertically, unfolding after each one.

Now press the diagonal creases so they fold inward and leave the horizontal and vertical creases standing up. Check your paper against the photo before moving on. This sets every fold that comes after it, so it’s worth getting neat here.

Step 2: Fold and Crease the Open Sides

Fold the open side of your shape in along its middle crease, then fold the other open side in the same way. Flip the paper over and repeat on that side too.

Unfold all four of those side folds. You’re not keeping them folded, you’re just pressing in four more creases you’ll use as guides in the next step.

Step 3: Fold the Sides In Along the New Creases

Using the four creases from the last step as your guide, fold all four sides in. Your shape should end up with two small flaps sitting on one side. Fold those two flaps out and away from the body.

Step 4: Crease the Leg Sections

Fold the outer edge of the closed side in along its middle crease, then do the same on the other side. Flip the shape over and fold both of those sides in the same way.

Step 5: Cut the First Side Into Legs

Unfold the four side folds from Step 4. Cut along those crease lines with your scissors, then open the cut side slightly.

Warning: cut only along the creased lines. Cutting past them shortens a leg you can’t get back, so go slow and stop right at the crease.

Step 6: Cut the Second Side and Fold the Top Edge In

The other side is still closed. Cut a slit along its crease the same way you just did, then fold both sides back into the position they were in during Step 4. Fold the top edge of the shape halfway inside.

Step 7: Fold Down the Top Flap and Angle the First Leg

Flip the shape over and fold the remaining flap all the way down. Turn it back to the legs side. Take the top strip on the right and fold it upward, just past a right angle.

Step 8: Angle the Remaining Legs on the Right Side

Working down the right side, fold the second strip just below the first, then the third strip just below the second, then the fourth strip just below the third. Each one staggers slightly lower than the last, so the legs fan out instead of stacking flat.

Now fold the top two strips (legs) halfway outward, to roughly a right angle.

Step 9: Finish the Legs and Add the Face

Fold the bottom two strips halfway in the opposite direction from the top two, also to roughly a right angle. Repeat all of Step 7 through Step 9 on the left side of the body, so all eight legs are angled and fanned out to match.

Fold the pointed bottom layer up and over the legs, then turn the whole spider face up. Glue on the googly eyes and the blush cheek cutouts, then draw a small smiling mouth with the gel pen.

Tip: no googly eyes on hand? Cut small white and black paper circles instead, layer them the same way, and you’ll get a nearly identical face.

Tips for Origami Spiders

• Fold a mix of black and purple spiders (and a few in gray or brown, like the long image above) so the group looks varied instead of identical when it’s scattered across your display.
• Use medium-weight craft paper, not tissue-thin paper, or the legs will feel floppy instead of holding their angle.
• Fold your batch a few days ahead and store them flat in a box until you’re ready to decorate. That’s exactly how Day 4 of the wall display countdown is meant to work.
• Beyond the wall display, these spiders make quick gift tag toppers, garland accents strung on twine, party favor decorations, or a fun addition to a Halloween-themed notebook or card.

Video Tutorial: How to Make Spiders out of Paper

Prefer to watch instead of read? Follow along with the video below and you’ll have a finished spider in a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color paper should I use for origami spiders?

Black or purple paper works best for a Halloween look, since both read as spooky from across a room while still looking cute once a face is added. Gray and brown also work well if you want variety across your batch, like the mixed set shown above.

Do I have to use googly eyes?

No. Googly eyes are the fastest option and give the spider a bit of dimension, but cut white and black paper circles work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. Either way, glue the eyes on before you draw the mouth so you can center it between them.

How many origami spiders do I need for a Halloween wall display?

Four to six spiders is enough to fill in the lower section of a display without crowding it. Scatter them randomly between your origami bats and ghosts rather than lining them up, and tuck one or two along the mantel edge for a natural, wandering look.

What else can I make with origami spiders besides a wall display?

They work well beyond the wall too. Glue one to a folded card as a gift tag, string a few along twine for a garland, clip one to a party favor bag, or set a couple on a Halloween table as mini place-card weights.

My spider’s legs came out uneven. What went wrong?

Uneven legs almost always trace back to Step 1. If the base creases aren’t pressed flat and symmetrical, every fold after it drifts a little more off-center. Unfold back to Step 1, re-press the creases against the photo, and refold from there.

More Halloween Origami Tutorials

• How to Make Origami Bats, Day 2 of the wall display series
• How to Make Easy Origami Ghost, Day 3 of the wall display series
• How to Make Origami Pumpkins for the mantel below your wall display
• How to Make a Traditional Origami Crane if you’d like to try a classic fold next

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