The origami crane motif is so popular that it can be found on paintings, posters, wall decals, trinket boxes, and T-shirts. Some people even get origami crane tattoos to symbolize peace and harmony. Origami cranes look pretty folded from patterned paper, but you might find it easier to practice the folding the model with a light-colored solid paper first. Sometimes, it can be hard to see the creases when folding dark or busy patterned papers. The crane in this tutorial is made using an 8 1/2-inch x 11-inch paper cut into an 8 1/2-inch x 8 1/2-inch square. Using the creases you have just made, bring the top three corners down toward the bottom of the paper. Flatten the model to complete your square base. To turn your square base into a bird base, fold the top left and right flaps into the center and unfold. Fold the top of the model downward to create a horizontal fold that connects the diagonal folds you just made. Crease well, and then unfold. When you are finished, your paper should look like the photo to the left. To complete the bird base, turn the model over and repeat the petal folds in Step 3 and 4 on the other side. The most common reason for folding 1,000 origami paper cranes is to show support for a loved one. However, many nonprofit organizations have used the folding of 1,000 cranes as fundraising or public awareness tool. You can find other variations of the crane project, such as a crane envelope and a crane bookmark.
