The Origami Forum

Let's say you fold a square of paper in half. Then you need to crease from one loose corner to the opposite corner. Is there some secret to doing it well...because I am terrible at it (unless the paper is very small).

Yeah, maybe a stupid question... But I'm reminded of how much trouble I had with petal folds as a total beginner until I saw a video show someone pushing the upper corners of the lower half in first and, bam!, it was easy.

Oftentimes the paper may not be an accurate square. Maybe you have better success if you don't fold corner to corner, but start by aligning the connecting edges of one side, making sure the crease meets exactly the corner between them and work your way up until you reach the other side. This method most often gives more accurate results especially when working with large paper.

Someone on the mailing list recently wrote she noticed a difference between new folders and more experienced ones in how they grasp a folding manoeuvre. The beginners rather look for what point has to go where, whereas the more experienced folders rather look where exactly the crease is located. I'm not sure whether this always holds true but I guess it might well help to get a better understanding of the fold you are trying to accomplish.

What Anna said pretty much summarizes the problem. Working from a perfect square (I think there is an existing thread on this on these forums) is the start for accurate creases.

Also I see not much sense in doing the maneuver you mentioned or maybe it is that I am no tunderstanding you correctly, but folding a paper in half horizontally and then vertcially while leaving the first fold makes not much sense and accumulates unnecesary layers of paper. That is if I'm understanding your description correctly.

Sorry, I mean: 1) fold a square in half, valley crease, from top to bottom. Then, 2) take the first layer and fold, again a valley, from the lower left corner to the upper right. I don't know that being a perfect square actually makes much difference since the same problem would exist wherever one is folding from corner to corner without a landmark.

Okay, now I'm confused. First of how is your square oriented when you do this? Second, so you fold it in half and then in half a second time in the other direction? Because I thought you had problems folding it in half corner to corner. Seems I misunderstood what you where saying.

When you first said:

fncll wrote:Let's say you fold a square of paper in half. Then you need to crease from one loose corner to the opposite corner. Is there some secret to doing it well...because I am terrible at it (unless the paper is very small)

We (I guess Anna and I) assumed that you meant the opposite corner of the same side, but you clarified that is the opposite side.

Now I understand what you mean. You need to make a crease at an angle different than 90 °. It is easy to do it wrong. I learned a trick from Robert Orndorff late last year. When you need to do this, the way to do it correctly is by "pulling" the paper in the opposite direction, not just folding, but folding and pulling, so that the paper falls in the exact point where you want it. I've found this to be a great advice. With a little practice you can do it well.

origami_8 wrote:Okay, now I'm confused. First of how is your square oriented when you do this? Second, so you fold it in half and then in half a second time in the other direction? Because I thought you had problems folding it in half corner to corner. Seems I misunderstood what you where saying.

Let me try again:

1. Put the square in front of you with an edge, not a corner facing you.

2. Fold it in half from bottom to top, creating a flap that is 1/2 the size of the square, with loose edges at the top.

3. Make a fold on the top layer (flap) from the upper right to the lower left (or vice-versa).

It's an angle that has no landmarks to bring the point to, it's just a crease from corner to corner.

c

Brimstone wrote:When you first said:
I learned a trick from Robert Orndorff late last year. When you need to do this, the way to do it correctly is by "pulling" the paper in the opposite direction, not just folding, but folding and pulling, so that the paper falls in the exact point where you want it. I've found this to be a great advice. With a little practice you can do it well.

Ahhh...that's good advice. Will be trying it out tonight!

c

If I understand Brimstone's explanation correctly, a small pinch where the crease starts helps to make the foundation for the crease. Then pull the flap until the crease lies on the correct place before making it strong.

Edit: Just saw you replied while I was typing my answer. Yes, make a small pinch going upwards at the lower left corner. then pull the upper left corner downwards until the crease goes through the upper right corner. Make your crease sharp starting at the upper right corner.

Edit 2: Watch from minute 9:08 of this video by Sara Adams to see it explained in great detail:

Thanks!