I’m excited to share how to fold this beautiful Crane Envelope. While it looks sophisticated and impressive, it is surprisingly simple to make. Why not add a personal touch to your gifts with this elegant crane?
To create this envelope, we’ll make a small snip with scissors. As you fold the paper back and forth, wondering if a crane will truly appear, a perfect square suddenly reveals itself.
I was deeply fascinated when I first learned that a crane could be folded from this simple square. Even now, every time I reach this step, I feel a little spark of joy thinking, “Here it is—the magic square!”
How to Fold a Crane-Shaped Envelope
I used origami paper that is pink on one side and yellow on the other. When finished, the bag portion will be pink and the crane portion will be yellow.
Please choose which side to use based on how you envision the final result.
Please also have a pair of scissors ready.
First, fold it in half to form a triangle.
Then, make creases to divide it into roughly three equal parts.
Next, make a crease at the center of the right fold to use as a guide.
Fold the left side.
Then, align the center line with the fold on the right and fold it.
yurariNow we’ll make the square that will become the crane.
This is my favorite part of the folding process.
Make a cut all the way to the center at the top, and leave a gap of 1 or 2 centimeters from the center at the bottom.
Next, align the star marks and fold.
A triangle has appeared.
Fold along the dotted line.
Then, a square will appear.
Now, let’s fold this square into a crane.
First, fold both sides toward the center.
Fold along the dotted line and unfold.
Open it one page up.
Next, fold both sides to form the neck and tail.
Next, fold the neck and tail upward.
Fold the neck to form the beak.
The crane is done.
Now, let’s flip it over.
Fold the bottom, then fold the top.
Finally, insert the top part into the star-shaped notch at the bottom.
And there you have it—your crane-shaped envelope is complete.
By the way, it looks great if you fold the wings down, too.
Watch a video tutorial on how to fold it
On Pinterest, we show you how to fold it in a video.
Using chiyogami and origami
It looks like the New Year spirit is really picking up.
Just changing the decorations makes things feel so much livelier.
In Conclusion
yurariI hope you enjoy the process of folding as much as the finished piece.
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect at first—every fold is a step toward your own unique creation.
Happy folding!