A woven basket filled with pink and yellow flowers, decorated with paper butterflies made from old maps. On a wooden table nearby are stacked plates, napkins, and more map-page butterflies on napkin rings—great ideas for what to do with old maps!.

What to Do With Old Maps? Make These Quick, Fun Butterflies!

Old road maps? Turn them into easy origami style butterflies! Quick tutorial plus 5 stunning ways to style them for parties, decor, and gifts.

You know that stack of old road maps tucked away in your closet or garage?

The ones from family road trips, cross-country moves, or that epic summer adventure you still talk about?

They’re too full of memories to toss in recycling, but let’s be honest – when’s the last time you actually unfolded one?

Three origami butterflies made from cut pieces of old maps are displayed on a light grey surface, offering a creative idea for what to do with old maps. Each butterfly and its square base feature different map sections and colors.

Here’s the thing: those memory-laden maps are absolutely perfect for scratching that wanderlust itch we all get. Lucky for all of us, this is a Handcrafted Society Challenge!!!

Yes, today, I’m thrilled to be sharing map related elevated craft projects from some of my very favorite bloggers. All the links are at the bottom of this post. Prepare to be wowed!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

How to Make Map Butterflies: Step-by-Step Tutorial
- Materials and Supplies:
Quick How-To Card
Steps To Folding a Butterfly
Optional Add-Ons for Extra Styling
5 Gorgeous Ways to Style Your Map Butterflies
Ready to Give Your Maps Wings?

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Whether you’re planning a bon voyage dinner for someone heading off on their next adventure, creating a meaningful tablescape for a retirement celebration, or adding some “explore the world” vibes to a graduate’s send-off party, I’ve got the perfect project for you.

Today, I’m sharing how to transform those nostalgic maps into the most fun origami-esque butterflies – plus five completely different ways to style them.

And then I have the rest of the Handcrafted Society links.

Trust me, by the end of this, you’ll see every old atlas and road map as pure craft gold just waiting to take flight!

Paper butterflies made from old city maps are perched on a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers, with leafy greenery and a blurred background—an inspiring idea for what to do with old maps.

How to Make Map Butterflies: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Materials and Supplies:

The Essentials:

Old maps (the more interesting the roads and text, the better!)
Cutting tools: My favorite paper cutter makes this a breeze, but a rotary cutter and mat work great too. In a pinch? Ruler, scissors, and a steady hand will do the trick.
Adhesive: I’m team permanent tape runner for this one – it’s clean and quick. But a tiny dab of craft glue or even super glue works if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Binder Clips: to hold it together while adhesive sets up

For the Fancy Styling:

Ribbon or thin webbing to tie your butterfly in place
Pin or needle to start the hole for the wire
Tape to hold the wire in place
Wire: I used black 26-gauge wire for the centerpiece and individual stems – it’s sturdy enough to hold the butterflies but flexible enough to bend into swooping shapes.

That’s it!

Seriously, this might be one of the most supply-friendly projects I’ve ever shared. No special tools, no trips to three different craft stores, no “Oh great, I need THAT too” moments. Just maps that are begging for a second life and stuff you probably already have floating around your craft space.

Quick How-To Card

For Experienced Crafters Ready to Flutter Ahead:

Quick DIY Map Butterfly Tutorial

Yield: As many as you need

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Transform old road maps into delicate origami butterflies with this simple folding technique. Perfect for travel-themed decor, party centerpieces, or meaningful gifts.

Materials

Old maps or atlas pages
Cutting Tool, I prefer a paper cutter
Adhesive, I prefer permanent tape runners
Binder Clips, just little guys for this one
For Additional Styling Options:
Ribbon or thin webbing
Pin or needle
Tape
Black craft wire

Instructions

1. Cut maps or atlas pages into perfect squares – precision here really pays off! Any size works. My smallest was about 2¾ inches (7 cm) with the largest at about 6 inches (15 cm).

2. Start by folding the square in half both ways. Turn over and fold diagonally both ways. So the half folds are valleys and the diagonal folds are peaks. Unfold completely.

3. Form a four-pointed star by lifting the center point with diagonal folds as peaks and straight folds as valleys.

4. Fold so the four triangles stack on top of each other, then round off the loose corners with scissors.

5. Shape the wings by opening the stack and folding the top triangles on each side up and slightly outward.

6. Secure the butterfly by flipping it over, folding the bottom triangle up to overlap the wings, adding adhesive, folding the point over the wings at the center fold and clamping with a binder clip for 10-15 minutes.

Optional: Add ribbon (between steps 5-6) for napkin rings or gift ties, or add wire stems for arrangements.

Notes

If you'd like more details and pictures to help, keep scrolling.

Confident in your folding skills? Skip ahead to the styling section to see five gorgeous ways to display these beauties – from shadow boxes to swooping centerpieces!

Need the detailed walkthrough? Keep scrolling for all the easy steps and my tips to make your butterflies absolutely perfect.

Steps To Folding a Butterfly

A paper cutter and a ruler sit on a table next to several square pieces of paper, each printed with colorful map patterns and street grids—perfect inspiration if you're wondering what to do with old maps.

Step 1) Cutting-

Cut maps or atlas pages into perfect squares – precision here really pays off! Any size works, but stick to one shape: squares only.

My smallest was about 2¾ inches (7 cm) with the largest at about 6 inches (15 cm).

A hand touches a folded piece of paper with printed text and maps. Nearby, two small paper butterflies, crafted from old maps, rest on a light-colored surface—showing what to do with old maps in creative ways.

Step 2) Fold the square in half–

Start with your map square face-down. Bring one edge to meet the opposite edge, creating a clean, sharp crease. Don’t worry about getting the map text perfectly aligned – the random roads and place names actually add character to your finished butterfly!

A piece of vintage map paper and two small butterflies cut from map paper are placed on a light gray marble surface, showing a creative idea for what to do with old maps—the butterflies appear to be flying away from the map piece.

Step 3) Second half fold-

Open up that first fold and rotate your square. Now fold it in half along the opposite direction. When you unfold this one, you’ll have four neat quadrants with crossing crease lines.

A hand folds a piece of a subway map into an origami butterfly on a grey surface, with two completed paper butterflies in the background—an inspiring idea for what to do with old maps.

Step 4) Diagonal folding-

This part is so fun! Make sure your previous folds are creased upward (peaks). Now bring one corner to the opposite corner diagonally, creating a triangle. Press that crease firmly.

A hand is folding a piece of map paper, showcasing what to do with old maps, while two butterflies crafted from similar map paper rest on a marble surface nearby.

Step 5) Second diagonal fold-

Unfold and fold the other opposite corners diagonally. Open up and repeat with the other diagonal – corner to corner the opposite way. You now have a grid of crease lines that looks like a tic-tac-toe board with an X through it.

Wondering what to do with old maps? Here, a folded star and two butterflies crafted from a subway map are displayed on a light gray marble surface.

Step 6) Make four-point star-

This is the magic moment! Position your square so the diagonal creases point upward and the straight creases dip down. Gently lift the center and watch your flat square transform into a dimensional four-pointed star shape.

A hand holds folded paper, preparing to cut; scissors and two finished paper butterflies made from map pages suggest a creative idea for what to do with old maps, all displayed on a white surface in the background.

Step 7) Turn star into one thick triangle-

Gently collapse your star shape by bringing the points together. You’ll end up with what looks like a thick triangle with all four points neatly stacked. This is your butterfly body taking shape!

A hand holds a piece of paper with a map design—perfect inspiration for what to do with old maps—next to silver scissors and butterfly shapes crafted from similar map paper on a white surface.

Step 8) Round the wing tips-

Here’s where those scissors come in handy! Carefully trim the pointed ends in a gentle curve – but be sure you’re only cutting where the four triangles are separate, not through the folded center. This creates the soft, rounded wing tips that make your butterfly look more realistic.

What to do with old maps: Fold them into beautiful butterflies, as shown by a hand crafting a butterfly from map paper, with two finished map butterflies resting on a light gray surface nearby.

Step 9) Fold first pair of wings-

Open the stack of triangles so you have two points on each side of the center fold line. Now fold the top triangle on each side up and slightly outward, not letting them meet at the center line. They should angle off to the sides a bit (reference the picture).

NOTE: It’s this offset that makes these different than most others — and I think really sells them as butterflies!

A hand holds a paper butterfly folded from a map, suggesting what to do with old maps. Other similarly folded butterflies rest on a light gray surface in the background.

Step 10) Second pair of wings-

Flip your butterfly over. What looks like one triangle from this side should be folded up so it slightly overlaps the folded straight edge of the butterfly wings. This creates the butterfly’s body and helps lock everything in place.

NOTE: How much you overlap, determines how much 3D effect the butterfly body has.

A hand holds a yellow tape dispenser, applying tape to a triangular piece of paper printed with a map featuring streets and landmarks in Washington, D.C.—a creative example of what to do with old maps.

Step 11) Adhesive to hold it all together-

Add your tape runner or glue to that extended triangular point, then fold it over the long edge.

A butterfly-shaped paper craft made from a city map page—perfect if you’re wondering what to do with old maps—is held together with a black binder clip, resting on a gray surface.

Step 12) Let the adhesive set-

Use a small binder clip to hold that tiny triangular point in place while the adhesive sets – about 10-15 minutes should do it!

Optional Add-Ons for Extra Styling

Before we dive into the five gorgeous ways to display these beauties, let me share two quick tweaks that’ll give you even more decorating options:

Option 1) Add a Ribbon for Napkin Rings or Gift Ties-

A close-up of a table setting with a white napkin on a pale blue plate, decorated with a butterfly made from old maps—an inspiring idea for what to do with old maps. Nearby are woven placemats and a floral arrangement in pastel hues.

Want to tie your butterflies around napkins for an elegant table setting? Or maybe around a bottle of wine or bubble bath as a gift accent? Easy!

A spool of white ribbon and a folded paper star made from a colorful map rest on a light marble surface, offering inspiration for what to do with old maps. The ribbon stretches across the scene and threads through the star.

A cloth napkin wrapped with a white ribbon, tucked with a small paper heart made from old maps—ideal inspiration for what to do with old maps—placed on a light blue textured plate.

Just slip a ribbon between steps 10 and 11 (as shown in the picture). The ribbon gets caught when you fold over that final triangular point, creating a perfect little loop for tying. So simple, but it opens up a whole world of gift-wrapping and table-setting possibilities!

PRO TIP: Easiest if you add the ribbon before closing with the adhesive. But you can also slip the ribbon through a finished butterfly — and easily remove the ribbon by just pulling it out one side.

Option 2) Add Wire Stems for Arrangements-

This is where things get really fun!

Use a pin or needle to poke a tiny hole through just the back side of the wings. Gently push the wire through and tape in place. Now you can make that last fold and glue the butterfly to hold it all together.

Give old maps new life: paper butterflies made from maps, a spool of black thread, a white craft tool, and coiled wire are artfully arranged on a white marble surface—perfect inspiration for what to do with old maps.

You can keep the wire straight for clean, modern arrangements, or make it springy by wrapping it around something cylindrical – I used a thick crochet hook, but a chunky marker works great too.

These wire-stemmed butterflies are perfect for floating above gift bows or adding movement to flower arrangements.

PRO TIP: Add the wire BEFORE Step 11, so you know where your folds are and you can hide the tape in the final fold.

Before we dive into styling options, why not save this pin so you can find it again when you find your stack of old maps:

Three images show paper butterflies crafted from old maps, arranged on flowers, twigs, and a cardboard display. Text reads: "STEP-BY-STEP Easy Butterflies from old maps—perfect if you're wondering what to do with old maps. South House Designs.

5 Gorgeous Ways to Style Your Map Butterflies

1) Fresh Flower Centerpiece with Travel Flair-

A woven basket filled with pink and yellow flowers and green leaves, decorated with origami butterflies made from old maps—showing a creative idea for what to do with old maps—as more butterflies perch nearby on a wooden surface.

I absolutely love this one!

I arranged fresh garden flowers in a vintage train case-style suitcase and tucked wire-stemmed butterflies throughout the arrangement.

It’s perfect for a reception welcome table, console display, or dinner table centerpiece.

The butterflies add movement and whimsy while the suitcase screams “adventure awaits!”

This works beautifully for retirement parties, bon voyage dinners, or any time you want to celebrate someone’s next chapter.

2) Mini Butterfly Garden in a Map-Covered Container-

Sometimes simpler is better!

A hand holds an open tin can filled with green floral foam, as a knife and a block of the same foam rest on a marble cutting board—an upcycling idea as creative as exploring what to do with old maps.

A tin filled with dried green moss sits on a marble surface next to two small moss balls and a pair of purple-handled scissors, suggesting creative ways—like crafting or upcycling—as you ponder what to do with old maps. Bits of moss are scattered around.

I covered an old brass container with a map (hello, double map action!), filled it with florist foam, topped with moss and a few moss rocks, then added butterflies on springy wires.

A creative idea for what to do with old maps: colorful map paper butterflies flutter on black wire spirals in a map-covered container with a red heart, all nestled in artificial moss.

The result? A charming little butterfly garden that captures pure wanderlust vibes.

Pro tip: Mark a special location on the map covering the container – maybe where they’re headed or a favorite memory spot!

3) Papier-Mâché Picture Frame Send-Off-

This one’s perfect for a gap year send-off party!

A brown paper bag decorated with cut-out butterflies made from old maps and a sign that reads "SPREAD YOUR WINGS," displayed on a wooden table beside a light blue vase—an inspiring idea for what to do with old maps.

I decorated a papier-mâché picture frame with a meaningful message inside, then added butterflies both glued directly to the frame and floating away on springy wires. It’s like capturing the moment of “spreading your wings” – literally!

The mix of anchored and floating butterflies creates such beautiful movement.

4) Gift Package Bow Accent-

A white gift box is decorated with map-patterned paper butterflies, offering a charming idea for what to do with old maps. In the background, a woven basket holds pink and yellow flowers on a wooden surface.

Want to make any gift extra special? Add a few butterflies to the bow on your wrapped package! It transforms even the simplest present into something that says “adventure awaits inside.”

Perfect for graduation gifts, retirement presents, or anything travel-related.

5) Elegant Map Butterfly Napkin Rings-

For your wanderlust-themed dinner party (whether it’s retirement, bon voyage, or moving celebration), these napkin rings are absolutely perfect!

A rustic table setting with woven placemats, pale blue plates, linen napkins decorated with origami butterflies—perfect for those wondering what to do with old maps—and clear glasses. A floral centerpiece and more map butterflies grace the wooden table.

The ribbon-tied butterflies look so elegant around cloth napkins, and scattered smaller butterflies down the center of the table tie the whole look together. Your guests will be talking about these long after dessert!

Each of these styling options captures that “places to go, people to meet” feeling while being totally doable with supplies you probably already have. The best part? You can mix and match these ideas for one amazing celebration!

Ready to Give Your Maps Wings?

There’s something magical about taking those memory-filled maps and giving them a completely new purpose, isn’t there?

Whether you’re celebrating someone’s next adventure, creating meaningful decor for your own space, or just finally doing something beautiful with that stack of maps you couldn’t bear to toss, these butterflies are such a perfect way to honor both the journeys you’ve taken and the ones still ahead.

Speaking of adventures and exploring still ahead. Wouldn’t these be adorable as a mobile or nursery wall decor that whispers “adventure awaits” to our littlest explorers.

And the best part? I have seven more amazing bloggers to send you to. Each one of these gals has a map project waiting for you to explore. You don’t want to miss a single one:

A glass jar filled with various seashells sits on a surface beside large conch shells. Open shells in front display pieces of colorful maps inside them, creating a coastal and travel-themed arrangement. — WM Design House

A decorative box covered with seashells and lined with a world map sits open on a white wooden surface, revealing several seashells with writing on them inside. A — Skylark House

A woven basket filled with pink and yellow flowers and green leaves, decorated with several origami butterflies made from map paper. The basket sits on a wooden surface with one butterfly nearby. — South House Designs

A white shelf displays blue and white decorative items, including a potted plant, framed calendar and art print, decorative vase, green candle, and a small white sculpture. — White Lilac Farmhouse

A decorative sailboat with sails made from maps sits atop stacked books on a wooden surface, surrounded by cozy textures, a framed artwork, a glass dish, and woven coasters, creating a coastal-inspired display. — Thistle Key Lane

Faded map of North America on canvas with the text: "Upcycle an old table with a canvas map" in bold letters—perfect inspiration for your next July HCS project or to celebrate HCS Code July creativity. — Amy Sadler Designs

A notebook with a cover made from woven map pieces sits on a table, with a cushion featuring the Union Jack flag blurred in the background. — Sonata Home Design

A decorative box labeled "Vacation Memories" with a map design sits behind a Yellowstone National Park guidebook, a white animal skull, and a magazine partially titled "explore. — An Organized Season

I’d love to see your map butterflies in action! Share your creations and tag me – there’s nothing I love more than seeing how you make these projects your own.

round image of Diane smiling next to a Signature that reads: With Joy, Diane

12 Comments

Sheryl on July 8, 2025 at 6:27 am

Beautiful, creative, nearly free of cost and unique! Thank you for directions that are so easy to follow!
Reply
- Diane on July 8, 2025 at 10:08 am
  
  Thanks so much Sheryl for taking the time to leave this comment! I read every one and appreciate you for them!
  Reply
Tammy on July 8, 2025 at 6:39 am

Such a creative idea. You could use them as magnets, attached to hair pin, in a wreath. Love it!
Reply
- Diane on July 8, 2025 at 10:06 am
  
  Of course! I never thought of magnets and hair clips, but you are sooo right! Isn’t it fun when creative minds get together?!?
  Reply
Missy on July 8, 2025 at 9:06 am

Map origami! What a fabulous idea! I love all of the ways that you displayed them, but my favorite is your gorgeous centerpiece. From map to butterfly…a poetic transformation! Pinned!
Reply
- Diane on July 8, 2025 at 10:05 am
  
  Awwww thanks, Missy! It has been such fun to make more and more of these butterflies!
  Reply
Michelle Crowley on July 8, 2025 at 9:42 am

What a super fun project!!! SO many great possibilities! As a fully addicted traveler I’m loving all 7 of these other projects too! I almost always pickup a map or two when traveling to a new city or country. They live in a file drawer just waiting for my kids to toss them when I die 🤷‍♀️😂 Every one of these ideas would be a much better use of my maps!!!
Reply
- Diane on July 8, 2025 at 10:03 am
  
  You make me laugh — even before my morning Diet Coke! You’re so right they are all great and would make such good use of all those great maps you’ve been harboring away.
  Reply
Donna on July 8, 2025 at 10:22 am

These paper butterflies are so sweet, and I enjoyed seeing so many different ways to use them! Your creativity is boundless! It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but I adore the “Spread Your Wings” frame! Pinning now so I can try this sometime!
Reply
Michelle | Thistle Key Lane on July 8, 2025 at 2:54 pm

Diane this is a delightful project! I love the process of making them, and seeing them in action with your creative uses. So fun! I’m going to start looking for old road maps, so I can make some too! Pinning!
Reply
Wendy McMonigle on July 8, 2025 at 5:21 pm

Diane, this is such a creative way to use your maps—I love all the unique display ideas you’ve shared! I’ll definitely need to put my folding skills to the test and try a few myself
Reply
Anna Price on July 14, 2025 at 5:54 pm

Diane – You are so talented and creative. I always love your unique ideas and projects. This one is no exception. The butterflies are charming and can be used for so many things. How cute would these look integrated into a wedding??? Thanks for the clear instructions. Pinned!
Reply

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