How to Fold Money Into a Heart

Steps

1. 1. Lay the Dollar Bill Face Up

   Put a dollar bill flat on the table with the front facing up and Washington looking straight at you. Run your palm across it and push out any ripples or old wallet creases running through the middle.

   Tip: Folding on paper first is worth the two minutes. Cut a sheet to 156mm by 66mm and the proportions match a real bill exactly.

   

2. 2. Fold the Bottom Edge of the Bill Up a Third

   Bring the bottom edge of the bill up toward the top as though you were folding the note into thirds, and press the crease flat. Stop while a sliver of Washington's hair still shows above the folded edge.

   Tip: Do not reach for a ruler. Fold by eye, then check the two bands. If the top band looks fatter, open it and slide the fold up a little.

   

3. 3. Crease the Folded Bill in Half, Then Unfold

   Take the right end of the folded strip and bring it across to meet the left end. Line the two short edges up before you press anything, then run your thumb down the fold to set a firm crease through the middle.

   Tip: A crooked center crease throws off both diagonals later and leaves you with one lobe bigger than the other. Square the ends up first.

   

4. 4. Fold Both Bottom Edges In to the Center Crease

   Work on the right half. Swing the bottom edge up until it lies along the center crease.

   Tip: Your hands cover the model while you do this one. Fold one side, take your hands off and look, then fold the other to match what you see.

   

5. 5. Turn the Bill Over and Fold the First Corner Down

   Flip the whole model over, keeping the point at the bottom. You are looking at four square corners along the top now.

   Tip: This does not have to be exact. Art of Fold folds all four by eye and the heart still comes out even, because what matters is that the four match each other.

   

6. 6. Fold the Remaining Three Corners of the Heart

   Fold the other three corners down by the same amount, each one starting from that same point in the middle. Copy the angle you used on the first corner and keep checking the pair on each side against each other.

   Tip: If a corner will not lie flat, it has gone past the center point. Open it and take a little less.

   

7. 7. Flip the Folded Dollar Heart Over

   Turn the model back over. The green side comes up and the heart is done, with the Great Seal sitting square in the middle of it.

   Tip: Press it under a heavy book for a minute before you give it away. It holds its shape for weeks after that.