MBFFE033 - ORIGAMI WALLET OR COLLAPSIBLE BOX (FROM A SQUARE) - ALSO AVAILABLE IN CZECH
Design: Traditional
For this tutorial in Czech, go to the following link:
Folding Sequence and Text Tutorial in Czech copyright 2026 by Jiří Mojžíšek
English editing and translation copyright 2026 by Lindy van der Merwe
Phase 1: Forming 8 Creases or a Star Shape
1. Place a square piece of paper down with one of its edges facing you.
2. Fold the top left corner down to meet the bottom right corner, crease and unfold.
In other words, we form a line dividing the lower left and upper right corners.
3. Fold the top right corner down to meet the bottom left corner, crease and unfold.
In other words, we form a line dividing the upper left and lower right corners.
4. Fold the left edge to the right edge, crease and unfold.
In other words, we create a line dividing the top and bottom edges of the square, folding from the left.
5. Fold the top edge to the bottom edge, crease and unfold.
In other words, we create a line dividing the left and right edges of the square, folding from the top.
We will now have created 8 valley creases forming a star shape on our square.
Phase 2: Corners to the Middle
6. Refold the top edge down to the bottom edge along the existing horizontal center line.
We have a two-layered rectangle, with the hinged edge furthest away from us.
7. Make a diagonal fold by bringing the entire right edge of the front layer up to the top hinged edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the upper right corner, using just one layer of paper, folding from the bottom right.
8. Similarly, bring the entire left edge of the front layer up to the top hinged edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the upper left corner, folding from the bottom left.
A triangle has formed on the front of the model, with its right angle pointing towards us.
9. Turn the paper over from left to right; the hinged edge remains at the top.
10. Like before, bring the entire right side up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the upper right corner, folding from the bottom right.
11. Similar to Step 8, bring the entire left side up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the upper left corner, folding from the bottom left.
We have another right-angled triangle in front of us; the right angle is at the bottom.
12. Lift up the model and unfold it along its horizontal center so we will have a square in diamond orientation again. Rotate the square 45 degrees so one of its edges is nearest you again, similar to how it was positioned in Step 1.
Note: Remember this shape, also known as the Blintz Base, well, since we will come back to it!
Phase 3: Corners to the Middle Again
13. Make sure the square is positioned with its folded corners facing the ceiling.
14. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge and crease.
15. Bring the right side of the front layer to the top edge and crease, forming a triangle.
In other words, we divide the upper right corner.
16. Similarly, bring the left side of the front layer to the top edge and crease, forming another triangle.
In other words, we divide the upper left corner.
17. Turn the paper over from left to right; the hinged edge remains at the top.
18. Bring the left and right sides to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the upper right and left corners.
19. Unfold again, so you have the square which was created by first folding the 4 corners, the Blintz Base.
This is the shape you were supposed to remember. If not, unfold everything and go back to Phase 2.
Make sure your square is placed with the folded triangles still facing up.
Phase 4: Door
Note: Some of the instructions of Phase 2 are repeated in this phase.
20. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge and crease. Leave folded.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides of the model, folding from the top.
We have a horizontal rectangle in front of us.
21. Bring the bottom edge of the front layer up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides of the front layer, folding from the bottom.
A horizontal rectangle is created on the upper half of the model.
22. Turn the paper over from left to right; the hinged edge remains at the top.
23. Bring the bottom edge of the model up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides, folding from the bottom.
We have a relatively narrow horizontal rectangle now, which has an accordion structure.
24. Unfold the accordion, so we have the single Blintz Base square from Step 19 again, triangles still facing up.
25. Rotate the square 90 degrees so the lines created in the previous steps are vertical.
26. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge and crease. Leave folded.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides of the model, folding from the top.
We have a horizontal rectangle in front of us.
27. Bring the bottom edge of the front layer up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides of the front layer, folding from the bottom.
A horizontal rectangle is created on the upper half of the model.
28. Turn the paper over from left to right; the hinged edge remains at the top.
29. Bring the bottom edge of the model up to the top edge and crease.
In other words, we divide the left and right sides, folding from the bottom.
We have the narrow horizontal accordion structure again.
30. Unfold the accordion to reveal the Blintz Base again.
31. Refold the top and bottom edges into the center so it will look like two doors that are positioned sideways, separated by a horizontal slit or opening.
Phase 5: Folding Only Along the Previously Created Lines
32. Open the doors, unfolding them up and down to reveal the Blintz Base for a last time.
33. Unfold the left and right triangles out to the sides and then close the doors again.
34. Find the center vertical line and place a finger just to the right of it, where the two doors meet. Hold this finger in place so that the doors to the right of it cannot be opened.
35. Now, focusing on the left of this center line, carefully open the doors, re-creasing the diagonal lines. At the same time, the left end of the model starts to rise along an already-created vertical line.
36. Continue to flip the aforementioned end and direct the walls away from each other, until the entire left flap is placed flat on the model surface. With this flip, two new triangles will be created, one above, the other below the overall rectangular shape of the model.
37. Fold these triangles towards each other, and the left side of the model will be pretty square again.
38. The thicker parts of these triangles have formed a vertical stop, from under which a pointed flap or "tongue" (formerly part of the folded end) leads to the right. Fold the "tongue" to the left over this stop, and fold its tip under. Take care not to fold it under the entire model, but only under the layer formed by the "tongue".
The left, purely rectangular side is finished. Now, for the right one.
39. To make things easier, rotate the model 180 degrees and repeat the steps for this phase.
Finishing
40. The model will now consist of two flat rectangles with a vertical slit in the middle.
Lift the model from the table and fold it in half, using a mountain fold, along the vertical center line so that its upper side becomes the outer sides.
41. We have a folded purse with two pockets accessible from the top.
42. If we insert our fingers into these pockets and carefully pull the outer walls apart, we can transform the purse into a box with two rectangular flaps on the sides.
43. If we fold the aforementioned rectangular flaps into the box so that they lie on the walls from the inside and the triangles connecting the flaps lie on the bottom, this will strengthen the entire box and the bottom will be regularly covered with four triangles.
44. We can return to the wallet by folding the rectangular flaps outward and slightly pressing the walls of the box together and inward.
Making origami accessible through text-based tutorials.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled: August 2026
This text is copyright 2026 by accessorigami.com and the authors.