Folding instructions for quarto/octavo
Folding these two layouts is slightly more complex than the simple single-fold
folio. Both of these have been designed so that the first fold is parallel to the
short edge of the paper - eg, if you hold the page in portrait orientation, you will
be folding the top edge to the bottom. One side of the page will have consecutive
numbers across this fold (ie, 3 and 30 on the top row, 2 and 31). Fold inward across
this line (so that 3 has been folded to lay against 2, and 30 against 31). The next
fold is along the other paper axis (parallel to the original long edge). For quarto,
you want to find the side with the numbers closest together, and fold inwards to
match them (this will be consecutive on the innermost sheet). For octavo, look at
the bottom-most row and find the consecutive pair, then fold inward. Octavo has one
last fold, for which you want to find the pair remaning that are closest, and fold
them together.
Or, if you want to just memorize the order, once you find the first fold side, the
order is:
quarto - top to bottom, fold points away from you, left to right, fold points
towards you.
octavo - top to bottom, fold points away from you, left to right, fold points
away from you, top to bottom, fold points towards you.