How To: Make an Origami Crane

How To: Make an Origami Crane

A collection of 1,000 origami cranes are known as a senbazuru. Senbazuru are typically crafted from a diverse selection of many different designs of paper, ranging in color and pattern. They are a bright and cheerful decoration, made to inspire. In Japanese lore, the crane was once believed to live for 1,000 years. Lore evolved into tradition, and the senbazuru tradition grew into legend; and the legend claims that folding 1,000 paper cranes offers the folder a chance to make one special wish come true.

The legend of the 1,000 origami cranes may be a folkloric Japanese tradition, but it was a child’s dream that popularized the idea across the world. The child’s name was Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. At the age of 2, the effects of radiation poisoning were prominent in Sadako, and not 10 years later she developed leukemia. Inspired by the senbazuru legend, Sadako began folding paper into origami cranes. She completed 644 cranes before becoming too ill to complete her task. She died at 12 years of age. The Sasaki family, along with Sadako’s classmates, completed the senbazuru in her honor. The story of Sadako is remembered as an international symbol of the innocent children impacted by the destructive capabilities of humankind.

Creating a senbazuru alone is an arduous project. And as before, so now; no project needs to go unaided. It’s for this reason, we gift you 10 pieces of custom printed Silk Laundry origami paper. It’s common for groups of people to join together to make a senbazuru, and this is what we ask of you. Join us, from around the world, in building a Silk Laundry senbazuru. Send us your creations. Post about your project. And make a wish with us for a sustainable, and prosperous future on this earth.


01. With the pattern side facing outward, fold your piece of paper in half to form a triangle.


02. Fold your paper in half again, forming a smaller triangle.


03. Open one side of your folded triangle so both halves are open at a 90 degree angle.


04. Squash fold the open flap, forming a small square.


05. Flip over.


06. Fold the flap to the left so the top edge ends along the dotted line.


07. Squash fold the open flap, forming a small square.


08. Fold the right side flap to the centre along the dotted line


09. Crease well and then unfold.


10. Fold the left side flap to the centre along the dotted line.


11. Crease well and then unfold.


12. Fold top down along the dotted line.


13. Crease well and then unfold.


14. Lift the entire top flap.


15. Continue lifting up and push in the sides along the creases.


16. Flatten the flap along the creases.


17. Flip over.


18. Fold the right side flap to the centre along the dotted line.


19. Crease well and then unfold.


20. Fold the left side flap to the centre along the dotted line.


21. Crease well and then unfold.


22. Fold top down along the dotted line.


23. Crease well and then unfold.


24. Lift the entire top flap.


25. Continue lifting up and push in the sides along the creases.


26. Flatten the flap along the creases.


27. Fold the top flap on the right to the centre along the dotted line.


28. Fold the top flap on the left to the centre along the dotted line.


29. Flip over.


30. Fold the top flap on the right to the centre along the dotted line.


31. Fold the top flap on the left to the centre along the dotted line.


32. Fold the long thin section of paper on the right up along the dotted line.


33. Crease well and unfold.


34. Fold the long thin section of paper on the left up along the dotted line.


35. Crease well and unfold.


36. Flip over.


37. Fold the long thin section of paper on the right up along the dotted line.


38. Crease well and unfold.


39. Fold the long thin section of paper on the left up along the dotted line.


40. Crease well and unfold.


41. Make an inside reverse fold along the creases made on the right side of the crane.


42. Lift the paper up inside the model along the creases and flatten.


43. Make an inside reverse fold along the creases made on the left side of the crane.


44. Lift the paper up inside the model along the creases and flatten.


45. Fold the long thin section of paper on the left down along the dotted line.


46. Crease well and unfold.


47. Flip over.


48. Fold the long thin section of paper on the left down along the dotted line.


49. Crease well and unfold.


50. Flip over.


51. Make an inside reverse fold along the creases made. Lift the paper up inside the model along the creases and flatten.


52. Fold down the wings on both sides along the dotted line.


53. You've completed your crane!