Amazing Origami

Learn the pleat, a two-crease fold that makes a Z-shaped zigzag in the paper - one of the simplest folds in origami.

A quick two-photo overview of origami's two basic folds: the mountain fold (paper bent down) and the valley fold (paper bent up).

Learn the swivel fold - a close cousin of the petal fold - in four photo-illustrated steps, starting from a square base with one squash-folded flap.

A quick three-step guide to the outside reverse fold, the fold that wraps paper outward to shape bird heads and animal feet or tails.

Learn the reverse swivel-fold, the mirror image of the swivel-fold technique, in six photo-illustrated steps - fold a valley, unfold it, then add a mountain and a flat fold.

Learn to read the two crease symbols found in every origami diagram - the valley fold (black dashed line) and the mountain fold (red dash-dot line) - in five easy steps.

Learn the origami square base - a named starting point behind countless models. Pre-crease the diagonals and edges, then collapse the square into its layered form in four steps.

The kite fold is one of origami's simplest moves - three folds turn a square into a kite shape. Learn how to bring diagonal edges to a central crease in six quick steps.

The swivel fold creates an asymmetric squash fold by pivoting one side of the paper around a point. Learn this valley-mountain-flat combination in six easy steps.

Shape a crisp beak for your money-folding birds. This six-step guide shows how the bird beak fold works on almost any bill.

A complete, step-by-step guide to the inside reverse fold, origami's classic move for shaping heads and tails — taught from a plain square in nine clear steps.

The bird base is the shared starting point for cranes, herons, and countless origami birds. Learn all nine steps, from first creases to finished base.

The open sink pushes a flap of paper back inside the model, creating a recessed pocket. Master origami's trickiest fold with these ten photo-illustrated steps.

The rabbit ear fold collapses a flap of paper into a neat new “ear”, used in fish, birds, and many origami models. Learn it step by step with photos.

The outside reverse fold is the mirror of the inside reverse fold, turning a point of paper outward instead of inward. Learn this two-mountain-one-valley fold in nine clear steps.

Divide a square of origami paper into perfect thirds in four quick folds, with no ruler — just two creases and a little geometry.

The petal fold is a classic origami move and a key part of the Bird Base, used in countless models from cranes to flapping birds. Learn it step by step from a Square Base.

The book fold and cupboard fold are two of the simplest yet most useful base folds in origami, appearing everywhere from boxes to miniature furniture. Learn both in five quick steps.