1. Use a sheet of plain or decorative stiff paper or thin cardboard (cereal box) or stiffened cloth. 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches is a good size, but you can use a smaller or larger sheet depending on the size fan you want.
2. Paint, color, or cover it to make designs on one or both sides.
3. Fold the sheet accordion-style. Fold forward, then back, so that you get pleats with folds that run along the short side of the paper.
4. With the paper folded completely, use scissors to cut a diamond about 1/2 to 1 inch from one side of the accordion. Cut a triangle shape and you will get diamonds in each fold.
5. Unfold the paper. Thread a cloth or decorative ribbon through the diamonds, back and forth, and tie knots at the ends.
6. Pinch together the other side so that it is pleated, and tie a ribbon around that end.
7. Your fan is ready. Hang it up or save it for a hot day (or Japanese day).
8. You can put anything you want on it - your own drawings, a saying, a greeting, music, glue ons - either horizontally or inside and outside of the folds. A nice effect is to have one design on the folds that face right and another on the folds that face left.