I love to find and learn Origami toys, but I can't memorize the steps.
I often manage to learn models or just while playing with papers I discover a new model; if I stop practicing them for a few weeks, I forget them.
So, how do artists memorize the origami steps? Do they repeat one model again and again and again? I can recall, once, quite accidentally I made (own, new) a butterfly which can be hung on wall-hook in 'wings open' formation. It can also be inserted at a slit as 'wing closed' formation. But just a few days later I had to almost completely re-discover the steps. To make it fluent, I had to repeatedly practice it again and again, on several (3 or 4) days; and I still need a revision at an interval of a few months.
I think I'm able to feel to-some-extent the symmetry, patterns and 'fit'-s. But when level of complication goes slightly up, I can't hold them at mind together, and I need to enter cramming or rote.
In contrast, I've seen, many people including cheerful tiny kids, can effortlessly memorize the fold sequences for long times. So I guess; I'm doing something wrong way. (And I've seen in any subject or fields I've to apply any rote memorization or cramming, I did very bad, accumulate some headache, and forget all informations within minutes). So I guess those peoples (including cheerful kids) not using rote memorization. Am I right?
Or rote learning (cramming) is the way kids do? Could it be method that artists uses?
P.S.
I have problems with mental arithmetic, and have a very lousy short term memory. I fail to hold multiple bits of information at the same time.