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Origami Acorn

Make a contrasting cap with two connected folds, narrow the sides behind, and round the cap corners. One square becomes a flat acorn for an autumn display.

Preparation + 11 numbered steps

Materials

6-inch square · 6 × 6 inches

One 6 × 6-inch square (15.24 × 15.24 cm) of thin two-color origami paper. Ruler and pencil for shaping marks; optional pen for cap dots. No cuts or glue.

Start the interactive guide ↓
Read all illustrated steps ↓Download PDF ↓ · one-page illustrated guide
Origami Acorn: a doubled cap above a pointed autumn nut
A doubled cap above a pointed autumn nut

Follow along

Preparation

The interactive guide needs JavaScript. Read every illustrated step below.

Camera only; does not change the fold.
Help · controls & diagram

Play or drag the progress slider to watch a fold from 0% to 100%. Use the view buttons or drag the diagram to look from another angle.

Blue and gold identify the original halves of one sheet, not your paper colors. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange marks moving paper and its hinge.

With the diagram focused: Space plays or pauses, ←/→ change steps, and Home resets.

Every step, at a glance

Compare your paper with each diagram after completing the action. Blue and gold identify the original halves of one sheet, not your paper colors. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange marks moving paper and its hinge.

  1. 0. Prepare the diamond
  2. 1. Crease the vertical center
  3. 2. Open the vertical crease
  4. 3. Crease the horizontal center
  5. 4. Open the cross creases
  6. 5. Lower the top point
  7. 6. Double the cap band
  8. 7. Narrow the right side behind
  9. 8. Narrow the left side behind
  10. 9. Round the right cap corner
  11. 10. Round the left cap corner
  12. 11. Finish the acorn
  1. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldPrepare the diamond

    PREPARATION · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Prepare the diamond

    Place a square with a point at the top. Put the intended nut color up and the contrasting cap color down.

    Layers: One uncut square.

    Check: The top and bottom points line up.

    Explore this step ↑
  2. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the vertical center

    STEP 1 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Crease the vertical center

    Bring the right point across to the left point.

    Layers: Move the complete right half.

    Check: The side points coincide.

    Explore this step ↑
  3. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the vertical crease

    STEP 2 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Open the vertical crease

    Return the right half fully to the table.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: A vertical center crease remains.

    Explore this step ↑
  4. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the horizontal center

    STEP 3 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Crease the horizontal center

    Bring the top point down to the bottom point.

    Layers: Move the entire upper half.

    Check: The upper and lower points meet.

    Explore this step ↑
  5. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the cross creases

    STEP 4 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Open the cross creases

    Return the top half fully to the table.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: The two center creases cross in the middle.

    Explore this step ↑
  6. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldLower the top point

    STEP 5 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Lower the top point

    Bring the top point to the center crossing.

    Layers: Fold only the upper corner.

    Check: A contrasting triangle appears above the middle.

    Explore this step ↑
  7. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldDouble the cap band

    STEP 6 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Double the cap band

    Bring the new horizontal top edge down to the horizontal center crease. Press the complete folded band flat.

    Layers: Carry both the original sheet and the overlapping folded corner, not just its visible surface.

    Check: A narrow doubled cap lies above the center crease.

    Explore this step ↑
  8. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldNarrow the right side behind

    STEP 7 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Narrow the right side behind

    Mark a vertical line 1.70 inches right of the center crease. Fold everything to its right away from you and behind the nut.

    Layers: Carry the whole right packet, including the cap layers.

    Check: The right side is straight; the cap remains in front.

    Explore this step ↑
  9. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldNarrow the left side behind

    STEP 8 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Narrow the left side behind

    Repeat along a vertical line 1.70 inches left of center.

    Layers: Carry all layers of the left side behind.

    Check: The nut has two matching sides and a downward point.

    Explore this step ↑
  10. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldRound the right cap corner

    STEP 9 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Round the right cap corner

    From the upper-right cap corner mark 0.51 inches left along the top and 0.51 inches down the side. Fold the small corner behind along the line joining the marks.

    Layers: Carry every layer of the small cap corner.

    Check: A short diagonal replaces the upper-right corner.

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  11. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldRound the left cap corner

    STEP 10 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Round the left cap corner

    Mirror the two marks and fold the upper-left corner behind.

    Layers: Carry the complete matching corner.

    Check: The cap has two matching clipped corners.

    Explore this step ↑
  12. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFinish the acorn

    STEP 11 · Origami Club acorn diagram; rotated, measured adaptation

    Finish the acorn

    Smooth the cap and body. Add a few small pen dots to the contrasting cap if you like. Keep the pointed nut facing downward.

    Layers: No new fold or extra paper; any dots are optional ink.

    Check: The doubled cap sits above a long pointed nut.

    Explore this step ↑
Sources & notes

Origami Club; diagram copyright credit: Fumiaki Shingu, Origami Club: An Acorn (undated web diagram).

Complete acorn reference diagram ↗ · Reference model page ↗

The diagram credits Fumiaki Shingu. That credit does not establish traditional status, public-domain status or a design-reuse license. No reference drawings, text or code are reproduced. Our English instructions, geometry and diagrams are independently authored; no project-wide reuse license is implied.

Adaptation: Follows all six source panels, rotated 180 degrees in the plane from the start so the cap is above the nut. Paired actions are separated. The source has unmeasured side and corner shaping lines: this guide sets each side hinge 1.70 inches from the center and clips 0.51 inches from each cap corner. The second cap fold carries the entire folded band, including its hidden first-fold material. Optional dots are learner-drawn ink, not added paper.

Original instructions and diagrams, made with AI assistance. About & reuse

Accuracy notes

Real-paper follow-along and paper weight have not been tested. Diagrams illustrate the sequence, not paper thickness, contact, collisions or exact layer visibility. One uncut six-inch square retains its immutable material coordinates through two cap hinges, complete rear side packets and small rear corner folds. Zero-thickness teaching geometry is not a finite-thickness or physical-foldability certificate. Real-paper folding has not been tested.