Money Mortarboard - Make-Origami.com

origami money mortarboard
When May and June is upon us, everyone is looking for instructions to make a graduation mortarboard and diploma. Shown below is a great way to make a dollar bill origami mortarboard or graduation cap.

This dollar bill origami model was designed by Jon Tucker and you can find the original diagrams on his flickr page here and here. The photo instructions are slightly modified.

Instructions for Money Mortarboard

Step 1:

Place the dollar bill so it is green side up if you want the green side to be visible at the top of the cap. Fold the dollar bill in half left to right. Unfold.

Step 2:

Turn the dollar bill over so it is black side up.

origami money mortarboard

Step 3:

You will make a “diamond” shape in the middle of the dollar bill: this will be the top of the cap. On the left side, fold the bottom-edge of the bill to the center crease made in step 1.

origami money mortarboard

Unfold.

Step 4:

Fold the top-edge of the bill so it meets with the center crease made in step 1.

Unfold.

Step 5:

Repeat these steps on the right side of the dollar bill.

Step 6:

When done, you should see a “diamond” in the center of the bill surrounding the president’s portrait. Fold the dollar bill in half lengthwise (top to bottom). Unfold.

Step 7:

Collapse the dollar bill along the creases shown. This means to refold only the creases shown. See next few steps.

In progress. Fold along the indicated creases.

Side view.

In progress. Press down flat.

Step 8:

We will work on the left side first. Fold the left-flap down at a 45 degree angle.

Unfold.

Step 9:

Fold the left-flap down.

Step 10:

Fold the left-flap up at a 45 degree angle.

Unfold.

Step 11:

Make a squash fold. First, lift up the left-flap so it is pointing up towards the sky.

Pry open the layers and press down so the dollar bill squashes open along the creases made in steps 8 and 10.

Squash fold in progress.

Step 12:

Fold the top flap of the triangle downwards.

Step 13:

Fold the flap up so the edge meets the horizontal edge of the dollar bill (connect the green dots).

Step 14:

Fold this section of the dollar bill back up.

Step 15:

Fold up the bottom flap of the triangle.

Step 16:

Fold this part of the dollar bill down so the edge of the triangle meets with the horizontal section of the model (connect green dots).

Step 17:

Fold this section of the model back down.

Step 18:

Fold the entire left-half of the model back and behind the right-half.

This is how it should look. Repeat steps Step 8 to 17 on the right side of the dollar bill.

Step 19:

Make a squash fold. Not all steps are shown.

Step 20:

We will make a “lock”. Fold behind (mountain fold) half of the white border that surrounds the dollar bill.

Unfold.

Step 21:

Repeat steps 13 to 15. Steps not shown.

Step 22:

Repeat steps 16 to 17. Steps not shown.

This is how it should look like. At this point, all the folding is done. Next, you will mold the model so it looks like a graduation cap.

Step 23:

Lightly or loosely fold the left side of the model to the right corner of the model (connect the green dots).

Mold and tweak the model so the flap is rounded like half a circle.

Step 24:

Turn the model over and work on the left side of the graduation cap. Fold the right side towards the left. Connect the green dots, but notice that the green dot is not quite at the corner of the model. This is important as it will make this half of the circle a little shorter (important for final locking step).

This is how it looks like. Slide the right-side over the left-side. The right side should be a little taller.

Step 25:

Fold the locking edge on the right side (made in step 20) over the left side so it locks the two halves together.

origami money mortarboard Side view of:
– step 23 (right half done),
– step 24 (left and right halves done), and
– step 26 finished money mortarboard (two halves locked together).