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How to fold an origami ballerina

Cut a zigzag hem into a pink strip and pleat it into a flared tutu, cut a sweetheart bodice and slim legs on pointe, bend a strip into curved arms and give her a bun and a tiara.

You need: Pink paper (12 × 4.5 and 4.5 × 3.75 cm), pale pink 3 × 10 cm, skin 17 × 1.5 and 3.6 cm, brown 4.2 and 1.8 cm, scissors, glue, pens. Hard, 28 steps, about 40 minutes.

Steps

  1. Tutu: fold in half. Start with the 12 × 4.5 cm pink strip, pink side up. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  2. Tutu: fold again. Fold it in half again the same way, right edges onto the left fold.
  3. Tutu: fold again. Fold it in half again the same way, right edges onto the left fold.
  4. Tutu: cut the points. Cut through all the layers: two slanted snips 9 mm up from the bottom corners make one sharp point in the middle.
  5. Tutu: open a fold. Open the last fold.
  6. Tutu: open a fold. Open the next fold.
  7. Tutu: open it out. Open it out flat.
  8. Tutu: fold in a pleat. There are 8 points. At the notch 3 cm from each side of the middle, fold the outer part straight in over the tutu.
  9. Tutu: fold it back. Fold each flap back out on a slanted line from the same notch, wider at the top. The sides swing in at the waist and the tutu flares out.
  10. Arms: new sheet. Set the tutu aside. Take the long skin-tone strip, white side up, lying flat.
  11. Arms: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up onto the top edge to make a thin, strong strip.
  12. Arms: bend the ends down. 1.5 cm from the middle on each side, fold the strip down on a long slanted crease so each end points down and out.
  13. Arms: bend them again. 2 cm further on, bend each end again so it points straight down. Now the arms make a round arch.
  14. Bodice: new sheet. Set the arms aside. Take the 4.5 × 3.75 cm pink piece, pink side up.
  15. Bodice: fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  16. Bodice: cut the shape. Snip a little V at the top of the fold, round the top corner, then cut a long slant down to 1 cm from the fold at the bottom for the waist.
  17. Bodice: open it. Open it out: a sweetheart top and a tiny waist.
  18. Bun: new sheet. Set the bodice aside. Take the small brown square, brown side up.
  19. Bun: round it. Fold all four corners a little way behind to make a round bun.
  20. Hair: new sheet. Set the bun aside. Take the bigger brown square, brown side up.
  21. Hair: round it. Fold the four corners behind, 1 cm along each edge.
  22. Head: new sheet. Set the hair aside. Take the 3.6 cm skin-tone square.
  23. Head: round it. Fold the four corners behind, 8 mm along each edge, for a round face.
  24. Legs: new sheet. Set the head aside. Take the 3 × 10 cm pale pink piece, standing tall.
  25. Legs: fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  26. Legs: cut the legs. From 3.4 cm down the fold, cut a thin slant to the bottom. Cut the outside in to a point, so the leg narrows to a pointed toe.
  27. Legs: open them. Open it out: two long legs standing on their toes.
  28. Put her together. Glue the tutu over the top of the legs and the arms behind the bodice. Glue the bodice on the tutu, then the bun, the hair and the head on top.

Up on her toes!

Draw her eyes and smile, a white tiara in her hair, sparkles on the tutu and criss-cross ribbons on her ballet shoes.

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