Directions for an Origami Crane

Origami cranes are popular for ornaments and decorations.

The origami crane is one of the most classic and well-known paper creations, often used for holiday ornaments and special decorations. The crane is fun and easy to make. All you need is a square piece of origami paper to begin. To start the crane, you need to form the bird base.

Things You'll Need

• Origami paper

Instructions

The Bird Base

1. Make a valley fold and crease along each diagonal. Make mountain folds and crease along the North-South and East-West axes.

2. Collapse the paper along the fold lines, creating a multilayered square. Two separated triangles will be in the middle layer. This forms the square base.

3. Point the square base with the open layers pointing down. Fold and unfold the two left and right corners of the top layer inward to meet the center crease.

4. Fold and unfold the top triangle downward.

5. Lift the bottom corner up and fold along the crease lines. Flatten it to form a narrow diamond shape in the center. This forms the petal fold.

6. Flip the paper over and repeat Steps 3 through 5, creating another petal fold. The result will be a double-layered diamond shape. This is the completed bird base, which is used to make a crane as well as the flapping bird.

Finish the Crane

1. Fold the left and right corners of the top layer to the center crease, forming a point at the bottom of the bird base.

2. Flip the paper over and repeat Step 1 on the other side.

3. Make a valley fold on each bottom flap about 2 inches from the top of each flap. This crease is used to prepare the reverse fold.

4. Do a reverse a fold on each flap so that each is now pointing up and outward, in between the layers of the body. These will form the legs and the neck of the crane. Do a reverse fold on the right flap (the neck) to form the head. The head will now be pointed outward to the right of the body.

5. Fold the center wings down on each side. Pull the wings apart gently. Push down on the top triangle to flatten it. This completes the origami crane.

References

• Origami Instructions: How to Make an Origami Crane
• Origami Instructions: Square Base
• Origami Instructions: Origami Bird Base