Not every crane needs the full twenty steps. This little one strips the classic paper crane down to its essentials — a handful of creases and you've got that elegant, long-necked silhouette in your hand.

It's the kind of fold you can teach a child in a few minutes, and it has a secret second life: sized down to a quarter sheet, it stands in perfectly as a handmade chopstick rest. Fold a few for the New Year table, or hand one to a visiting kid and wait for the proud "I made this!" — that part never gets old.

How to Fold

STEP 1. Fold it in half to crease it.

STEP 2. Fold it like this.

STEP 3. Turn it over. Fold it again so the blue line lines up with the red line.

STEP 4. Fold it in half.

STEP 5. Fold along the dotted line to crease it, then unfold.

STEP 6. Fold it in half along the line you just added.

STEP 7. Fold along the dotted line to crease it, then unfold.

STEP 8. Now fold it up.

STEP 9. Your simple crane is complete!

Tips for Folding

For the half-folds and overlapping folds, tidy up the creases first, then fold along those lines.

It’s that simple, right?!

Even kids can give this a try. Actually, this crane can also double as a chopstick rest!

It’s a handy little trick to keep in mind when you seat guests from abroad at the dinner table.

I find that cutting the origami down to a quarter of its size makes a perfect little one.

Have your kids make some during New Year or when visitors come over.

You’ll see them beaming with pride, saying, “I made this!”