Fold by Fold

Reading a diagram

Printed origami instructions use a handful of marks. Every step here shows the same marks on the paper just before it folds.

Valley fold

A dashed line. Fold the paper toward you, so the crease sinks like a valley.

Mountain fold

A line of dashes and dots. Fold the paper away from you, behind, so the crease stands up like a ridge.

Fold and unfold

Make the fold, press it flat, and open it again. The crease guides a later step.

Inside reverse fold

A mountain line across a narrow flap. Open the flap a little and push its tip up inside, between its own layers, so the tip turns inside out along the line.

Turn over

Flip the whole model over, left to right.