It's only a paper ring.

While I was in Tacoma, I found my copy of The Buck Book. It's a book of origami patterns for dollar bills. I bought it when I was 13 or so, and it came with a dollar bill. Instant rebate!

The Buck Book is something I've been thinking about for a while...one of those weird recollections that pops up out of nowhere while I'm reading work emails. Hey, what ever happened to that book about folding dollar bills? That thought has been popping up a lot lately, along with the equally bizarre, Hey, remember watching Demolition Man? 


Yeah, randomly firing neurons, I sure do. Sigh. 


Anyway, my favorite project in The Buck Book is the dollar bill ring. It only takes 5 minutes! Sadly, I spent my last dollar bills at Target (cat brush, nail polish remover, tonic water, and Reese's Pieces)! So, I improvised with some vintage wrapping paper. 

Instructions? Sure!  

1. Cut your paper to dollar bill size, roughly 6" x 2.5" for a size 7 ring. 

2. Fold the bottom edge up about 1/4 of an inch. 

2. Fold the paper in half, leaving a tiny lip at the bottom edge. 

Like so:

3. Fold in half again, keeping things even this time. 

You end up with this. 

4.  Fold the right side under, 1/4 of an inch or so.

5. On the left side, fold yourself a right angle. 

6. Fold the vertical part once, to the right. 

7. Make a crescent fold along the top and bottom edges and crease well. 

8. Flip your paper over and hold it like this. 

9. Wrap the left side around your index finger to make the ring loop. You'll end up with the left edge under your thumb. 

10. Fold the vertical piece down over the front.

11. Fold the left flap across the front of the ring. 

12. Remember that little end fold you made in step 4? Tuck that under the flap you just made.
Hard to show in pictures, but you'll know it when you see it. You'll end up with this:

13. The flap on the bottom of the ring will get tucked into a little vertical flap on the back.
Turn the ring over and you'll see it. Slide the flap right on in there. 

That's it! You did an awesome job!

* Tutorial is adapted from Anne Akers Johnson's instructions in The Buck Book.