Decorations · Step-by-step guide
Pleated Crescent Moon
Make a crescent moon from a long diamond with alternating mountain and valley folds.
What you’ll need
- One square of paper
- Scissors
Paper folding · Cutting & accordion pleats
Make it, step by step.
13 steps · Original diagrams with English instructions
Prepare the sheet
Open image at full size ↗Use a square of thin paper that holds crisp creases.
Cut the diamond
Open image at full size ↗Fold the square using the reference creases, then cut along the dashed lines to keep the central diamond.
Mark the center
Open image at full size ↗Fold the diamond sideways to locate the middle. Make the corresponding folds on the upper half.
Open the diamond
Open image at full size ↗Unfold to check the symmetrical crease pattern.
Add a diagonal crease
Open image at full size ↗Make the indicated diagonal fold, crease firmly and reopen.
Fold both edges
Open image at full size ↗Fold the upper and lower edges along the lines shown.
Unfold again
Open image at full size ↗Open the paper completely so the new creases remain visible.
Repeat on the opposite side
Open image at full size ↗Make the same diagonal folds on the other half.
Fold the long shape
Open image at full size ↗Fold the diamond along the pictured lengthwise arrangement.
Reveal the full pattern
Open image at full size ↗Open the paper to see the complete pleat grid.
Set mountains and valleys
Open image at full size ↗Fold dashed lines downward as valleys and solid lines upward as mountains.
Collapse the pleats
Open image at full size ↗Bring the alternating folds together, letting the narrow ends curve toward one another.
Shape the crescent
Open image at full size ↗Adjust the curve and press the pleats evenly to finish the moon.
Follow the diagrams alongside the step-by-step English instructions.
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