How to Make an Open Origami Box

How you final model will look.

Origami is the ancient art of paper folding. This is the beautiful art of taking a flat structure and making it three dimensional. To be able to create any figure out of paper can entertain you and others for hours, days and years. I made my first fold at the tender age of 4, and I now teach these same folds to my kids. The beautiful part of Origami is that it has no age limit or even health limit.

Instructions

1. 

   Place the square piece of paper on a flat surface. Fold the top right corner to the bottom left corner and crease. Open up the model and then fold the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Crease the paper and open it up again. You now have a square piece of paper with an X creased into it. Fold each corner to the center.

2. 

   Fold the model down the center line that was created by the previous step's folds creating a triangle. Fold the triangle in half so that you have two triangles. Allow one of the triangles to rise at a 90 degree angle to the other triangle. Make sure that the model is facing so that the raised triangle has a pocket facing towards you.

3. 

   Pull each side of the pocket apart and push the corner of the raised triangle down toward the lower point. This will create a flattened square. Crease all of the folds. Turn the model over and do the same to the other side. Your model now looks like a square.

4. 

   Pull apart the flaps of the line that splits the square in half. When you pull the flaps apart, the point of the square will follow. Pull this point to the point directly below it. When you flatten it out, there will be a small rectangle formed. Flip the model over and do the same on the other side. Now fold the model in half, hot dog style, along the line that goes down the middle. Fold the sides of the model towards the center so that the vertical sides meet in the center.

5. Fold the pointed piece of the model down along the horizontal line made by the last fold. Flip the model over and do this on the other side as well. Open the model and flatten out the inside creating a box.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to crease all folds. This will make all of your future folds easier.

• This model is ideal for holding votive candles and anything else that is small and needs a holder. The Japanese used to use it as a server for small nuts and candy.

Resources

• Diagram to fold Sanbo