How to fold an origami accordion
Fold the edges behind and the ends over to frame two white keyboards, then pleat the middle four times into bellows. Round the corners and add a black strap with turned ends.
You need: 1 red square (15 cm), a 1 x 11 cm black strip, scissors, a glue stick and a black pen. Hard, 15 steps, about 25 minutes.
Steps
- Edges behind. Red side up, fold the top and bottom edges behind on lines 2.2 cm in.
- Keyboards. Fold the left edge over 1.8 cm and the right edge 1.5 cm. Each end shows a white panel framed in red: the two keyboards.
- Bellows: first pleat. Fold everything right of a line 1.5 cm left of the right keyboard over to the left.
- Fold it back. Fold it back to the right on a line 3 mm left of the crease. That makes one bellows pleat.
- Pleat 2. Fold everything right of the next line, 1.8 cm further left, over to the left.
- Back again. Fold it back to the right 3 mm to the left, like before.
- Pleat 3. Fold everything right of the next line, 1.8 cm further left, over to the left.
- Back again. Fold it back to the right 3 mm to the left, like before.
- Pleat 4. Fold everything right of the next line, 1.8 cm further left, over to the left.
- Back again. Fold it back to the right 3 mm to the left, like before.
- Round the corners. Cut a small slant off each of the four corners.
- Strap: new strip. Set the accordion aside. Lay the black strip across, white side up.
- Strap: fold in half. Fold it in half along its length, so it's black on both sides.
- Strap: turn the ends. Fold each end down on a slant, 3 cm from the middle, so both ends point straight down.
- Glue it together. Glue the accordion on top of the strap's legs, so the strap arches over its top.
Ready to squeeze!
Draw black keys on the left keyboard, round buttons on the right one, and a black line along every bellows fold.
How to play
- Hold both ends and squeeze it in and out: wheeze, oompah!
- Play a polka and dance around the room.
- Glue it to a card for a friend who plays in a band.