ORIGAMI SYMBOLS repeat

step(s)
valley mountain push, squash,
fold fold or reverse-fold

unfold

hidden fold and

edges fold in unfold
front fold
behind
turn model
over

rotate
a crease model

COMMON BASES 5. swing large

“Preliminary” base and 3. lift one flap, open it, and flap over
“Waterbomb” base squash flat into a square
Completed Completed
“preliminary” base “waterbomb” base

turn inside-out

2. fold in
half again
1.fold in
half 4. turn over (for colored waterbomb base,
6. squash again start with colored side up)

“Bird” base “Frog” base squash

2. fold top down 4. unfold
begin with a top point... Start white side up
preliminary 3. Fold a
base 3. unfold side
flaps, leave “preliminary”
top folded base
(see above).

4. Lift up an edge,
2. Fold the 4 corners to the open it, and squash
...while stretching center, and unfold them. flat. Repeat behind.
the top layer of 1. Fold and unfold
1. fold top layers only the square along the diagonals.
that was
1-5 a “petal”
5. keep stretching... Completed fold.
turn
over “bird” base

6. That was 7. Repeat 7. Flip over a narrow

a “petal” fold. steps 1-5 on 6. Pull out the hidden edge; flap. Repeat behind.
this side. 5. Fold white edges the existing creases will
...and flatten, starting at the to middle line. turn it into a point. Repeat 4,5,6
bottom and working upwards Repeat behind. behind.

FLAPPING BIRD
rotate head
start with a out
“bird” base
4,5,6

8. Repeat steps 4,5,6

hold squeeze on the two remaining
1. Flip gently here large flaps
over an here tail
edge.
3. Close it 4. Rotate out the 5. Squeeze flat to 6. This is called
2. Fold up lock it in place.
the point. back up. nested point like the a “reverse-fold”.
hand of a clock. Make two more.

note: tail should pull

stick more out
than up hold
Completed here
Flapping Bird Gently pull tail straight
back to make it flap. Completed
7. Fold the wings down. 8. Lift wings up half-way. “frog” base
CRANE FROG IRIS
start with (see
start with (see start with a “frog” other
a “bird” (see
other a “frog” other base side)
base side) base side)

1/2

rotate
1. Fold sides to middle. model
Repeat behind. 1. Fold down the four 2. Flip over 3. Slide a little paper 4. Fold the
1. Flip over one flap. 2. Fold the sides little points (two are one flap. out from under the sides to the
to the middle line. between layers). top flap, and flatten. middle line.
1,2,3 1,2,3
6. Repeat
5. Flip steps 2-5 2-5
the flap on the
back left, and
over. twice 7. Flip
2. Reverse-fold the 1,2,3 behind. over an
bottom points. (See edge in
“Flapping Bird” for front and
reverse-fold instructions.) 4. Repeat 1,2,3 on the 2-5 2-5 back.
3. Flip the flap
back over. left, and twice behind.

3. Reverse-fold the head.

Fold down the wings.
8. Fold down the 4 petals,
5. Make 3 reverse- then lift them so they point Completed
folds on the two front outwards, and curl them.
points (the arms). 6. Make 3 reverse- Iris
See “Flapping Bird” folds on the two back
for reverse-fold points (the legs).
instructions.
CANDY DISH
4. Pull wings apart while start white side up
pushing down the back.
Curl the wings.

blow Completed
Completed 7. Gently pull upper Frog 2. Fold the 4 corners 3. Like this. Turn over.
edges apart, pushing 1. Fold and unfold to the center (a “blintz”
Crane down on the point. along the diagonals. fold).
6,7

rotate
model
1/2

6. Fold and unfold 8. Like this. Repeat

4. Pretend this is the white
side of a square, and fold
“preliminary base” (see
other side for the steps).
through entire thickness. 7. Fold top layer to the
middle line, squashing steps 6 and 7 on the
5. Open and squash. the sides. other side.
Repeat behind.
poke a
finger
1 inside

12. Refold
11. Fold the tiny the sides in.
triangles up to the Repeat 13. Fold tip over
9. Flip over a flap in
10. Fold and unfold creases. Repeat
behind.
behind. and over. 14. Open out. Completed
to middle line. Repeat Repeat behind.
front and back. behind. Candy Dish