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How to fold an origami arctic fox

Fold a triangle, cut slim legs, cut a strip free and reverse-fold it up into two ears, then cut the back corner into a big bushy tail.

You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm, pale blue-grey on one side, small scissors and a ruler. Hard, 19 steps, about 22 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the fox's back.
  2. Crease the ear strip. Fold the top edge down 1.6 cm through both layers and crease it hard. The right end of this strip will become the ears.
  3. Open it. Unfold the strip again.
  4. Crease the front legs. Fold the right point over on an upright crease 2.3 cm right of the middle and crease it hard. This marks the back of the front legs.
  5. Open it. Unfold it again.
  6. Crease the neck. Fold the right point over on an upright crease where the right edge is 7.1 cm below the back. This marks the front of the front legs.
  7. Open it. Unfold it again.
  8. Crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 2.3 cm left of the middle and crease it hard. This marks the front of the hind legs.
  9. Open it. Unfold it again.
  10. Crease the tail. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 1.2 cm further left. Behind this crease will be the tail.
  11. Open it. Unfold it again.
  12. Cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 7.1 cm below the back. Cut up both leg creases to 3.2 cm below the back and across between them. Cut the neck 3.5 cm deep.
  13. Cut the tail. Cut 4 cm up the tail crease from the bottom and 6 mm down it from the back. Cut the tail round into a big plume, fat in the middle.
  14. Slim the legs. Slant the sides of each leg in a little towards the paw, so the fox stands on dainty feet.
  15. Cut the ears free. Cut along the strip crease from the nose back 2.9 cm. Cut along the back fold from the nose to just in front of the front legs.
  16. Ears up. Outside-reverse-fold the loose strip up on a crease from the end of the cut, so it stands straight up and leans back a little.
  17. Point the ears. Cut both ears to a point in the middle of the strip, 1.6 cm past the fold. Cut the front ear's point 9 mm lower, so a rim shows round it.
  18. Head back. Outside-reverse-fold the head back over the body, on a crease from the neck's underside 1.2 cm in front of the leg, slanting back to the top.
  19. Head up. Fold the head forward again on a crease from the same point, leaning further back, so the head is held high. Glue the neck layers together.

Snow sneaker!

Colour the nose tip black and draw a bright eye on each side. Snip a few short slits into the tail tip to fluff it up.

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