Once you learn how to make a rabbit fold, you will be able to craft hundreds of unique origami creations. The rabbit fold, or rabbit ear fold, is part of a small collection of basic origami folds which serve as the building blocks to more complicated and intricate designs.
Rabbit Fold Instructions
Learning how to make a rabbit fold takes a bit of practice. However, it is not as difficult as it may first appear. Beginners should use crease-free pieces of origami paper when practicing this fold. Advanced folders may execute the rabbit fold with wrapping paper, old magazines, candy wrappers, or scrap pieces of wallpaper.
To make a rabbit fold:
- Pre-fold three valley folds (the valley fold is formed by folding the paper towards oneself)
- Fold the two sides of the paper down to the baseline
- Fold the top of the paper to one side, and then make a mountain fold (a mountain fold is formed by folding the paper away from oneself)
In a rabbit ear fold, a corner of the paper is pinched in half to form a new point. The end result looks a little bit like a rabbit's ear.Likewise, a double rabbit ear fold also forms new points. For those struggling to complete a double rabbit ear fold, consider this useful tip: A double rabbit ear fold is equivalent to the petal fold. Many people who have trouble with the double rabbit fold find it much easier to follow the instructions for a petal fold to make sense of the execution.
Benefits of Learning the Rabbit Fold
The base of an origami fish uses two rabbit ear folds, as do a number of other origami creations. Once you become comfortable with the rabbit fold, you can make a host of other origami objects, including:
Rabbit Fold Resources
Origami takes patience and practice. Never underestimate the power of practice. By repeating basic folds and familiarizing yourself with other origami techniques, you will be able to dramatically reduce your frustration level. The following resources can help eliminate any confusion involved in learning how to make a rabbit fold. There are pros to each option. The video instructions are especially useful for tactile learners, who may find reading instructional books boring. The online illustrations are free and easy to follow, and the books offer detailed diagrams and more in-depth instructions.
Basic Origami Folds
In order to move from elementary origami to more advanced paper folding, it is important to learn rudimentary folds, such as the rabbit fold, as well as:
- Valley fold
- Mountain fold
- Reverse fold
- Squash fold
- Petal fold
- Sink fold
- Crimp fold
Once you become comfortable with the aforementioned folds, the sky is the limit in regards to creating elaborate origami objects.
