Have you ever come across a weird set of creases in a tessellation crease pattern and wondered what the heck was going on? Wouldn’t it be really helpful to see an animation of that twist and photos of the final collapse? These resources became available for many twists when the Twist Database website was published in 2024.
Now, there’s a go-to site for crease patterns, photos of folded models, animations and video tutorials for 30 different twists used in origami tessellations, and it’s completely free to use. There are even photos of a variety of patterns that use each twist that you can try to reverse engineer with your new twist knowledge.
The Twist Database is a project of Madonna Yoder, Ben Parker and Miguel Gañan, and it’s designed to be a growing resource for tessellation folders. Everyone is invited to add more details about when each twist was first used in the comments under each post so we can document the history of origami tessellations. The 30 twists already on the site are just a starting point — we plan to add more twists and other articles that show how these twists are connected.
More Resources
It’s a big jump to go from the eight basic twists to the 30 twists in the Twist Database, so my Summer of Twists series of tutorials from 2024 was designed to teach each twist in a logical sequence and show you how the twist is used in a tessellation pattern. Once you register for the free 10-week series, you’ll get weekly reminder emails showcasing three twists and telling you what grids are needed for the corresponding tutorial videos. All of the crease patterns for the tutorial videos are included in the Summer of Twists ebook, and there’s an additional challenge pattern in the ebook for each of the 30 twists. That comes out to a total of 60 crease patterns — enough to keep you busy for over a year if you tackle one pattern per week.
If you’d like to learn even more about advanced twists — how to make new twists and how to design tessellations using them — then Advanced Twist Techniques is the place to go. Advanced Twist Techniques is a lecture series exploring the theoretical side of origami tessellations, including twist modifications, various design techniques, and multiple mathematical proofs showing that you can design infinitely many origami tessellation patterns. Every year or two, there’s a new set of live (Zoom) ATT lectures, where you can learn about the latest developments in origami tessellation theory and design techniques. Once you’ve joined ATT, you’re in for life, so there’s no limit to how many times you can watch the recordings or access the library of over 100 example crease patterns. ATT also has crease pattern templates, so you can try out the design techniques for yourself and create your own limitless source of patterns to fold.
Whether you’re new to folding origami tessellations looking for some pointers on the basic twists or you’re an experienced tessellation folder looking to expand the limits of your knowledge, the Twist Database site has something for everyone. Check it out, and see how many of the 30 twists you recognize!