how to make a paper crane

To make a traditional paper crane, follow these step-by-step instructions using a square piece of paper:

1. Start with a square sheet of paper (origami paper is ideal, about 15x15 cm). Place it with the patterned or colored side facing down.
2. Fold the paper diagonally corner to corner to form a triangle. Crease well and unfold. Repeat with the other diagonal, creating an "X" crease on the paper

3. Fold the paper in half horizontally and vertically , crease well, then unfold. You should now have creases dividing the paper into eight sections

4. Collapse the paper into a square base : Push the sides inwards along the creases so the paper folds into a smaller square with an open flap facing you. This is called the preliminary or square base

5. Fold the right and left edges of the top layer to the center crease , forming a kite shape. Crease well and unfold. Then fold the top corner down to create a crease, and unfold again

6. Open the top flap and perform a petal fold : Lift the bottom corner up, while folding the sides inward along the creases to form a long diamond shape. Flip the paper and repeat on the other side

7. Fold the sides of the diamond to the center line on both sides, creating a thinner diamond shape. These will become the crane’s neck and tail

8. Fold the bottom flaps upwards on both sides to form the neck and tail. Make a reverse fold at the tip of one flap to form the crane’s head

9. Fold down the wings by pulling the top flaps down on both sides. Adjust the wings and body to give your crane a balanced shape

10. Final touches : You can gently pull the wings apart and flatten the body to complete your paper crane

This process typically takes about 10-15 minutes for beginners

. Watching a video tutorial can also help visualize the folds clearly

. Your paper crane is now ready, symbolizing peace and good fortune! If you want a visual guide, there are detailed video tutorials available that demonstrate each fold step-by-step

. This summary is based on multiple detailed origami crane folding guides and instructional videos