Blintz Fold

The blintz fold is a beginner-friendly yet highly useful technique in origami.

By folding all four corners of a square into the center, you create a strong foundation for countless models, from decorative designs to functional creations.

This fold is used in projects like the butterfly origami, paper photo frame, cat origami box, and paper tulips. Let’s walk through the steps!

The blintz fold is one of the most straightforward origami techniques, yet it plays a vital role in many designs.

This fold is created by bringing all four corners of a square to the center.

The result is a smaller, compact square that serves as the base for various models.

The blintz fold is commonly used in decorative origami, modular origami, and even functional designs.

It provides a symmetrical starting point for models like the butterfly origami and paper tulips while also forming the foundation of practical projects like this paper photo frame and cat origami box.

If you're just starting your origami journey, the blintz fold is a great technique to master early on.

It teaches symmetry, precision, and fold alignment—skills that will help you with more complex models.

For more beginner-friendly folds, check out our collection of easy origami for beginners.

Now, let’s get started!

Skill Level

★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Materials Needed

1 square sheet of origami paper

Instructions

Step 1: Start with the color you want on the outside facing down.

Step 2: Fold the bottom edge up to meet the top edge.

Step 3: Unfold previous step.

Step 4: Fold the left edge to meet the right edge.

Step 5: Unfold previous step.

Step 6: Fold the bottom left corner in to meet the middle where all the creases meet.

Step 7: Repeat previous step for remaining corners. Completed blintz fold.

Common Uses

The blintz fold is used in many popular origami projects, including:

• Butterfly Origami – A decorative design that starts with a blintz fold for a symmetrical base.
• Paper Photo Frame – A practical and stylish way to frame small pictures or notes.
• Cat Origami Box – A cute and functional box featuring cat-like details.
• Paper Tulips – A floral design that benefits from the strong, structured shape of the blintz fold.

Related Folds

Once you’ve mastered the blintz fold, try these next:

• Petal Fold – A fold that helps create pointed or layered shapes, often used in floral models.
• Square Base – A fundamental base that is used in many traditional origami designs.
• Water Bomb Fold – A similar folding technique that leads to collapsible, inflatable models.

Helpful Origami Tips

If you're curious to learn more about origami, you might like to look at our basic guides on how to make some common origami folds.

Start with the valley fold and mountain fold—these are the foundation of most origami models.

Once you're comfortable, you might like to try the petal fold for 3D shapes, and explore the bird base and square base for more complex designs.

The water bomb base is also great for creating inflatable or geometric models, like this inflatable origami rabbit.