How to make Bananas

1. Start with your paper white side up. Fold it in half triangularly, so you have a yellow triangle.  

2. Next, take ONE of the flaps at the bottom of the paper, and fold it so it sticks up a little over the top.

3. Fold the little flap at the top down the back of the triangle.

4. Fold the paper in half from the middle so that you are left with a smaller triangle with two flaps on the left end.

5. Take the top flap and fold it as far as it can go toward the rite. ( the tip of this flap should not cover the tip of the flap under it.) 

6. Repeat step 5 on the remaining flap.

7. Finished.

Questions

Origami is just one of those subjects that most people can't help having questions about. It just happens. One question that I always have comes up often. Say you just got a knew origami book from a local book store, you take it home, open it up, and stop. Instead of arrows to show how to fold a model, there are words, like "valley fold". When ever that happens to me, I look in the pre-model section of the book. Here are some more possible questions and answers:

1. Why do people always call origami figures "models".

 

 Because that is the official name.

2. What do the symbols mean? 

They can be used instead of words to show how to make a model

3. Do you have to use origami paper?

No, but it is more traditional. Also origami paper is easier to fold than normal paper. 

A Short History of Origami

Paper has been being folded since it was first made, but it was not even close to what we now know as origami. In the 6th century paper started being used to japan. It was very expensive so only rich men and woman could afford it. Paper folding was not a hobby, it was very formal, and elegant. For instance "Origami Tsuki" was a miniature folded sculpture that was given along with a gift. In 1797 the first book was written about paper folding. It was called folding of 1000 cranes.

By 1890 the word "Origami" was more or less used to describe the art of folding paper.

In the 1950, Akira Yoshizana and Sam Randlett developed a standard set of origami symbols to describe how to fold paper into models. The symbols stuck, and we still use them today. There are thousands of ways to fold origami, and thousands of things to make. Origami continues to change for the better.

For more info go to: 

http://www.origami-resource-center.com/history-of-origami.html