How to fold an origami square twist
The twist fold: turn a square and pleats swirl round it. Here's the square twist, the first fold of origami tessellations, step by step: a diagram for every fold below, and every step playing in 3D in Crease, so you can watch the paper move and turn it round.
You need: a square of paper (15 cm or 6 in is ideal). Coloured on one side is best, but any paper works.
Free in your browser. Watch each fold, slow it down, turn it round.
Step by step
The dashed line is a valley fold (fold towards you); dash-dot is a mountain fold (fold behind). The arrow shows where the paper goes.
Fold the paper in half from corner to corner, and unfold. Then the same the other way, so the two creases make an X.
Fold the right edge over a little past the middle line, crease, and unfold. Do the same from the other three edges. The four creases mark a square in the middle.
Fold and unfold a straight line across each corner, at right angles to the crease that runs into that corner, so it just touches one corner of the middle square.
Twist! Hold the middle square and turn it, letting the four pleats fold in round it like a pinwheel. Press it flat. That’s a twist fold.
Done! Well folded.
Tips
- Line up the corners or edges first, then press the crease flat from the middle outwards.
- Run a fingernail along every crease: sharp creases make the later steps easier.
- Stuck on a step? Open Square twist in Crease and watch it fold in 3D, as slowly as you like.
More easy origami
Origami for beginners: the folds, the bases and where to start →