The folding table
A square, a crease, a crane
Paper rewards clear decisions. Align the edges before pressing a crease, unfold deliberately, and
keep track of which layers belong to the next step. The traditional crane is a patient introduction to bases, petal
folds and reverse folds. Use the viewer to pause at each stage rather than racing toward the finish.
Put an idea into practice →
Choose a forgiving square
Begin with a true square of paper that is thin enough to fold several times without becoming bulky. A contrasting
colour on each side helps you see which face is showing. Very small sheets make the early learning harder because a
slight alignment error becomes a large part of the model. Place the paper on a smooth surface and keep your hands
clean and dry. If the starting sheet is not square, trim it accurately before folding; repeatedly correcting uneven
edges during the model only makes the later layers more confusing.
Read the crease language
A valley fold brings the visible sides toward each other, while a mountain fold sends the crease away. Turning
the paper over reverses how that same physical crease is described. Crease lines, movement arrows and finished
outlines have different jobs in a diagram, so identify them before moving the paper. A preparatory fold may be
opened again immediately; its purpose is to leave a useful reference. Press a crease only after the corners and
edges are aligned. A crisp, deliberate crease is easier to reuse than several hesitant lines close together.
Understand the bird base
The crane begins by collapsing prepared creases into a square base with the open edges below. Folding the lower
side edges toward the centre creates the references for a petal fold. When the lower point lifts, the sides fold
inward along those prepared lines and the shape becomes a long diamond. Repeating that action on the reverse
produces the bird base. Pause here and compare the layers on both sides. Two long points will become the neck and
tail, while the broader upper points will become the wings.
Finish with gentle reversals
Narrow the lower points evenly before raising them. An inside reverse fold changes the direction of a point by
opening its layers slightly and reversing the creases between them. It is a controlled change of structure, not
simply bending the point sideways. Use one raised point for the neck and the other for the tail, then reverse the
neck tip again to form the head. Lower the wings gently and shape the body without pulling hard on a single layer.
Small differences in the final angles give each crane its own character.