The Origami Forum

I'm attempting to fold Julian Zapata/Ralf Konrad's Polar Star:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabioorigami/5878733849/

I'm fairly confident that I have everything correct through step 6 but I am not certain what I'm intended to do in step 7. I can't figure out what fold I can do with the indicated valley-folds that will result in the diagram in step 8 (which doesn't appear to have any folding step in it). Any suggestions?

Also, just for clarification, does the hollow arrow in step 6 that points down to the left just indicate "go to the next step"?


Thank you very much,

Michael

The hollow arrow in step 6 doesn't seem to have any function.
Up till step 6 you should have a blintzed bird base. At step 6 you fold the front part up and you will be left with a big triangle flap at the top, two smaller triangle flaps on the bottom with another big triangle flap behind it. You need to squash fold the two smaller triangle flaps in step 7, like this. At step 8 you flip over and step 9 you do another squash fold. Step 10 makes you repeat it on the other 3 flaps.

Ahhh, I think I understand. I'll give that a try. Is there some aspect of the diagram which suggests that the squash fold is what is called for there? Just experience?

Thank you very much!

Michael

Often they are drawn with a "push arrow" (the big white arrow in step 6) , see here at the third picture.
The indication in the Polar Star diagram is the mountain and the valley fold and that the bottom point should go to the left. If you fold often you will get a feel for it.