A gift of money is common for most holiday celebrations. Rather than handing over just cash, use origami to transform those dollar bills into paper money hearts. Select a fairly new dollar bill for this project, or else one that is intact with few small rips. Any rips or tears make the final result look a little ragged. They will also be irritating to work with when folding the heart. Start with the dollar bill oriented face up in front of you.
Step 1: Create the Center Line
Set the bill in front of you with the president's face toward you. Create a vertical fold by folding the left side over until it matches the right side, creating a vertical center fold. Open up the dollar bill again with the president's face upright.
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Step 2: Fold Outside Edges In
Fold the outside left edge in to touch the center creased line and press flat to create a flap. Repeat with the outside right edge of the dollar bill. Flip the folded dollar bill over.
Step 3: Create the Triangle Point
Find the bottom left corner of the folded dollar bill. Fold the bottom left corner inwards to touch the center line of the bill. Press flat to create a diagonal flap. Repeat with the bottom right corner of the folder dollar bill. The bottom of the dollar bill should now look like triangle point. This is the bottom of the heart.
Step 4: Open the Top of the Folded Dollar Bill
Separate the front and back sides of the open top of the folded dollar bill slightly. You want to fold the back side of the open top down until its edge touches the top edges of the two triangle flaps.
Step 5: Create Squash Folds
Create squash folds on the left and right sides of this open top as you fold it down. To create a squash fold, lift up the paper flap and position so that the outside crease is upright and perpendicular to the table. Press down on the crease, while gently pushing both sides of the paper flap outwards. Press the crease against the table and smooth both sides of the flap flat, and then crease each side. The finished fold looks a little bit like a triangle shaped pocket in the paper. Press flat to hold it open.
Step 6: Create the Valley of the Heart
Locate the two top center corners of the front flaps on the dollar bill. Fold each corner down at a 45-degree angle to touch the horizontal creased section of the back side of the dollar bill. Press flat to crease the fold and secure these tiny triangle flaps in place. Turn the bill over to see your folded paper money heart.
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