How to Make an Origami Sailboat

This popular origami model is one of the easiest to fold.

Things You'll Need

• White Paper
• White paper

Instructions

1. Start with any point of a square piece of paper facing you.

2. Fold the bottom point up to meet the top point. Crease and unfold. Fold the right point to meet the left point. Crease and unfold.

3. Turn the paper over and position it so that an edge is facing you.

4. Fold the bottom edge to the top edge. Crease and unfold. Fold the left edge to the right edge. Crease and unfold. Position the paper so that a point is facing you.

5. Grasp the left and right points and push them together and down to meet at the bottom point. Flatten. This step will give you a diamond-shaped piece of paper.

6. Turn the paper 180 degrees so that the bottom, open end of the diamond is now pointing away from you.

7. Fold the top layer down so that the top point meets the bottom point. Crease and unfold. Fold this same layer in the opposite direction, using the crease you just made as a guideline, and tuck the flap into the base.

8. Turn the paper over and repeat step 7.

9. Fold the right sail down along the edge of the bottom triangle. Crease. Without unfolding, bring the point of the folded sail up so that it reaches about 3/4 of the way up the left sail. Crease the sail again in this position and tuck the fold you just made inside the boat.

10. Turn the boat over and fold the bottom point up to the center. Crease and unfold halfway. Your boat now has a stand.

Tips & Warnings

• Start with the colored side of the paper up if you are working with paper that is white on one side and colored on the other. This will give you white sails when you are done.

• Paper made especially for origami is available at most arts and crafts stores.

• Unless otherwise noted, all creases should be made as sharp as possible. Sharp creases are needed to make later folds and will often be referred to as guidelines.

• Try to make all points and edges meet exactly.