Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, has captivated people worldwide with its ability to transform simple sheets of paper into intricate, beautiful designs. One of the most appealing aspects of origami is its accessibility - anyone can learn and enjoy it, regardless of age or skill level. Today, we're going to explore the fascinating world of origami by learning how to create simple money origami step by step. So, let's dive right in and start folding!
Before we begin, ensure you have a square piece of paper. While origami can be done with any size, a standard 6x6 inch (15x15 cm) square is ideal for beginners. Now, let's get started with our first main topic: the basic origami folds.
Basic Origami Folds
Familiarizing yourself with these fundamental folds will make your money origami journey much smoother. Let's explore two essential basic folds: the square base and the preliminary base.
Both of these bases serve as the foundation for many origami models, including our money origami. So, let's dive into each fold and learn how to create them step by step.
Square Base
The square base is the most basic and commonly used fold in origami. It's a simple yet powerful fold that allows you to create a variety of models. Here's how to make a square base:
1. Start with a square piece of paper, colored side facing down. 2. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle. 3. Fold the triangle in half along the other diagonal to create a smaller triangle. 4. Unfold the last fold, but only partially - stop when you see the crease from the previous step. 5. Flip the paper over so the colored side is facing up. 6. Fold the top two corners to meet the center crease. 7. Fold the bottom two corners to meet the center crease as well. 8. You should now have a square base!
Preliminary Base
The preliminary base is another essential fold that builds upon the square base. It's used to create pockets or pouches in origami models. Here's how to make a preliminary base:
1. Start with a square base. 2. Fold the top layer of the top-left corner to the center crease. 3. Do the same for the top-right corner. 4. You should now have a kite shape. 5. Fold the top tip of the kite down to the bottom point. 6. Fold the two side flaps into the center. 7. Fold the top layer of the bottom-left corner to the center crease. 8. Do the same for the bottom-right corner. 9. You should now have a preliminary base!
With our basic folds out of the way, let's move on to our second main topic: creating the money origami model.
Money Origami
Now that we've mastered the basic folds, it's time to put them into practice and create our very own money origami. This origami model is not only fun to fold but also makes a great gift or decoration. Let's dive into the steps and create our money origami together.
Remember, origami is all about patience and practice. Don't worry if your first few attempts aren't perfect - with each fold, you'll become more proficient. So, let's get started!
Creating the Bill Fold
The first step in creating our money origami is to make the bill fold, which will serve as the base for our model. Here's how to create it:
1. Start with a square piece of paper, colored side facing down. 2. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle. 3. Fold the triangle in half along the other diagonal to create a smaller triangle. 4. Unfold the last fold, but only partially - stop when you see the crease from the previous step. 5. Flip the paper over so the colored side is facing up. 6. Fold the top two corners to meet the center crease. 7. Fold the bottom two corners to meet the center crease as well. 8. You should now have a square base. 9. Fold the top tip of the square base down to the bottom point. 10. Fold the two side flaps into the center. 11. Fold the top layer of the bottom-left corner to the center crease. 12. Do the same for the bottom-right corner. 13. You should now have a preliminary base. 14. Fold the top tip of the preliminary base down to the bottom point. 15. Fold the two side flaps into the center. 16. Fold the top layer of the bottom-left corner to the center crease. 17. Do the same for the bottom-right corner. 18. You should now have a bill fold!
Creating the Money Origami Model
With our bill fold complete, it's time to transform it into a money origami model. Here's how to do it:
1. Start with your bill fold, colored side facing down. 2. Fold the top tip of the bill fold down to the bottom point. 3. Fold the two side flaps into the center. 4. Fold the top layer of the bottom-left corner to the center crease. 5. Do the same for the bottom-right corner. 6. You should now have a pocket. 7. Open the pocket and insert your finger inside. 8. Fold the top tip of the pocket up to meet the top edge. 9. Fold the two side flaps into the center. 10. Fold the top layer of the bottom-left corner to the center crease. 11. Do the same for the bottom-right corner. 12. You should now have a money origami model!
And there you have it - a simple, step-by-step guide to creating money origami. We've covered the basic origami folds, the bill fold, and the final money origami model. Now that you've mastered this origami model, why not try experimenting with different colors and sizes? The possibilities are endless! So, grab some paper and start folding!