Making a paper CD case

A paper CD case will protect CDs/DVDs from scratches, and is cheap and easy to make. Unlike simply rolling the CD up in paper, this CD case will not come apart until you open it, and unlike paper and sticky tape it is reusable. This may be origami, though it is made with a rectangle, not a square.

You will need

  • 1 or more CDs or DVDs
  • A sheet of A4 paper (US 8½x11 paper will work, but not as well)

First measure the corners: hold the CD against one side of the paper, and fold the adjacent corner of the paper to meet it:

 _______________________________
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|    ______________             |
|   /              \            |
|  /                \           |
| /                  \          |
|/          _         \ ________|
|          / \         |       / 
|         | O |        |      /  
|          \_/         |     /  
|                      |    /  
|\                    /|   / 
| \                  / |  /
|  \                /  | /
|___\______________/___|/
Repeat on the other corner:
 _______________________________
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|                               |
|________               ________|
 \       |             |       /
  \      |             |      /
   \     |             |     /
    \    |             |    /
     \   |             |   / 
      \  |             |  /
       \ |             | /
        \|_____________|/
Fold the two edges over, to meet the corners you've folded in
     _______________________ 
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |   /|             |\   |
    |  / |             | \  |
    | /  |             |  \ |
    |/   |             |   \|
     \   |             |   / 
      \  |             |  /
       \ |             | /
        \|_____________|/
Insert the CD, and fold the bottom over
     _______________________ 
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    | ___________ |    |
    |    |/           \|    |
    |    |   CD        |    |
    |    |             |    |
    |    |      _      |    |
    |    |     / \     |    |
    |   /|    | O |    |\   |
    |  / |     \_/     | \  |
    | /  |             |  \ |
    |/   |_____________|   \|
     \  /               \  / 
      \/_________________\/

Fold the CD upwards
     _______________________ 
    | (B)|             |(B) |
    |    |             |    |
    |  __|_____________|__  |
    | /        (A)        \ |
    |/                     \|
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |_______________________|
Finally, fold the overlapping bit down, and tuck the tab (A) into the two flaps at the sides (B)
     _______________________ 
    |                       |
    | CD Case               |
    |_______________________|
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |                       |
    |_______________________|