Credits and Resources:
Designer: Lindy van der Merwe/Traditional/Unknown
Text-Only Instructions - Copyright 2024 Lindy van der Merwe
accessorigami.com
Folding level: Beginner to Intermediate
Paper to be used: Rectangular - for practice, use a standard sheet of copy paper; colored construction paper or thin cardstock may also be used to fold this model.
Steps: 14
Description: This is a useful, fairly large, flat box or tray. It has two triangles on the inside of the model that can either be hidden, kept flat or lifted up on each side as handles or as decorative details.
It uses rectangular paper such as A4, copy or colored construction paper.
Step 1
Place your rectangle in portrait orientation, with the short edges at the top and bottom.
We will be starting with precreases in the first 6 steps.
Step 2
Fold over a band on the left and a band on the right.
The bands should each be about an eighth of the width of the rectangle.
If it is helpful, you can use a ruler or the straight edge of another piece of paper when making these folds.
Another way is to fold in half, make a pinch mark, then fold the left and right sides of the rectangle to the center and making pinch marks only. Then fold to the pinch marks a second time. You will then end up with an eighth of the paper folded over on each side.
The width of this band will determine the depth of your tray.
Crease well on both sides and leave folded.
Step 3
Keeping the model in portrait orientation, start from one of the short sides of the rectangle and fold the sheet into thirds. Then unfold.
One way to do this is to take one of the short sides of the sheet and fold it away from you and then towards you, without making creases.
You are folding the short edges of the page in opposite directions, making what is sometimes called a Z fold, referring to the print letter Z, which has a zigzag shape.
Adjust your paper until you feel that the edges meet perfectly on the short sides.
Then hold the paper steady with one hand while pinching the edges with the other.
Only once you are happy that your paper is divided into 3 equal layers, should you make two strong creases on the sides.
Step 4
Lay your open sheet down in portrait orientation again and so you have the bands folded over on the left and right.
Step 5
Refold the bottom third of the sheet so it lies on top of the center third. Recrease the edge nearest you so you have a nice valley crease.
Unfold.
Step 6
Do the same with the top third that is furthest away from you, folding it so it lies over the center third and recreasing along the top edge of the paper. Then unfold.
It is now time to start forming our tray.
Step 7
Repeat Step 5, refolding the bottom third of the paper away from you again.
There will be a closed edge nearest you with one-third of the paper lying on top of the center third.
A loose edge will now have formed along the horizontal center and the folded bands will be on the inside left and right.
Step 8
We will now form the left bottom corner of our tray.
To do this, locate the left corner of the new, loose edge that is lying across the center of the model and pull it diagonally down and to the right, in an arc, but bringing the band into an upright position at the same time.
So, you will grab the inside corner of the band and gently drag it until you can place it on the bottom edge. The outcome should be that the band rises up on the left as well as on the bottom edge of the model.
Put in another way, you will fold the left edge diagonally down in the normal way, but then bring the band upright at the same time, making a fold away from you, so the band will stand upright along the bottom edge of the sheet.
This means the edge will have two layers and the raw edge of the paper will be on the inside of the tray.
Pinch the corner on the left so it forms a nice 90 degree angle.
A large two-layered triangle should now have formed and should be laying flat on the bottom of the model.
Step 9
Keeping the triangle folded, repeat this same type of fold on the right, bringing the end of the band down and to the left.
This means you will be forming another triangle that will come to rest on top of the previous one.
You are, in fact, folding the first triangle in half, so it will have 4 layers.
As the band from the right becomes upright, it will be stopped by the band that is already in place.
Step 10
Make a nice 90 degree fold on the right corner and reinforce both corners and the side of the tray you have just created.
The side of the model nearest you will now consist of 2 loose two-layered bands and on the inside of the box a triangle would have formed that is lying flat inside the box.
Step 11
To lock the side of the box in place, lift the one layer of the band nearest you and tuck it over the band on the inside of the box.
You will have to undo the corner on the left to some extent here.
Take your time and do it gently so you don't undo your folds completely.
The folded triangle should stay flat while you are doing this step.
Once the band is tucked in place, press the corner back into shape.
One side has been formed, while the left and right sides are also in an upright position.
Step 12
Rotate the model around 180 degrees and fold the bottom third up, creasing along the bottom edge.
You will find that this third of the tray will fit nicely into the part you have already folded. Let the paper lay flat, with the bands on the inside of the already-folded part of the tray.
Step 13
repeat the last folds by following Steps 8 and 9 on this side as well.
So, you will bring the inside band on the left towards you, using the same move as before, forming a wall nearest you and a flat triangle on the inside of the tray.
Then you will repeat this with the inside band on the right, creating the last side of the tray.
Remember to lock the side by slipping the outside band over the one on the inside.
Step 14
Make sure your sides are straight and that all corners are as neat as possible.
The end result will be an open tray with the triangles originating from two of its inside edges.
You can either leave the triangles as is, fold them to the outside of the box or fold them in half and tuck them so they are hidden underneath the bands of the tray.
If you fold them to the outside of the tray they will likely not lie flat against the outer side, in which case a dab of glue may be needed if preferred.
The bottom and "handles" will be one color with the sides another if using duo paper.
Making origami accessible through text-only instructions.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe, November 2024
Revised, December 2024
This text copyright 2025 by accessorigami.com
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