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How to fold an origami cosy bedroom

A bedtime build. Fold a pleated window with a crescent moon, curtains on a rod, a bookshelf full of books, a rug, a toy box, a teddy, a lamp on a table, a bed and a fire engine, then stand it up.

You need: 31 pieces (sizes in steps): lilac A4; wood-brown, navy, yellow, rose, gold, brown, red, green, blue, teal, light-wood, white, tan, grey, black. Glue.. Challenge, 127 steps, about 130 minutes.

Steps

  1. Wall: crease the middle. Start with the wall: a lilac A4 sheet lying long. Fold it in half, short edges together, and open it. It bends on this crease to stand.
  2. Floor: new sheet. Set the wall aside. For the floor, take a 29.7 × 13 cm piece wood-brown strip, white side up, long side across.
  3. Floor: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge. The fold is the front edge of the room.
  4. Floor: skirting board. Fold the top edge of the front layer down 4 mm. With the white layer behind, it makes a skirting board along the wall.
  5. Window: new sheet. Set the floor aside. For the window, take a 15.4 × 7.5 cm piece of navy paper, white side up, long side across.
  6. Window: crease the middle. Fold it in half, short edges together, and open it again.
  7. Window: panes. Fold the left and right edges in to stop 3 mm short of the crease. Two navy panes of night sky, with a white bar between them.
  8. Moon: new sheet. Set the window aside. For the moon, take a 2 cm yellow square.
  9. Moon: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 5 mm along each edge: a round full moon.
  10. Moon shadow: new sheet. Set the moon aside. Take a 1.8 cm navy square, the same navy as the window.
  11. Moon shadow: round it. Round it the same way. Glued over the moon's right side, it hides it in the night sky and leaves a thin crescent.
  12. Left curtain: new sheet. Set the moon shadow aside. For the curtains, take two 3.4 × 9.1 cm pieces of rose paper, rose side up, standing tall. Start with the left one.
  13. Left curtain: pleat. Fold the inner edge over towards the outer edge, 1.5 cm in.
  14. Left curtain: pleat back. Fold the flap back 3 mm short of the first fold, so the edge lands near the inner edge again. The pleat looks like a fold in the cloth.
  15. Left curtain: sweep it back. Fold the bottom inner corner behind on a long slant, 1.6 cm along the bottom and 3.5 cm up the side, so the curtain is drawn back.
  16. Right curtain: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold the right curtain the same way, as a mirror image.
  17. Right curtain: pleat. Fold the inner edge over towards the outer edge, 1.5 cm in.
  18. Right curtain: pleat back. Fold the flap back 3 mm short of the first fold, so the edge lands near the inner edge again. The pleat looks like a fold in the cloth.
  19. Right curtain: sweep it back. Fold the bottom inner corner behind on a long slant, 1.6 cm along the bottom and 3.5 cm up the side, so the curtain is drawn back.
  20. Curtain rod: new sheet. Set the curtain aside. For the rod, take a 12.2 × 0.7 cm piece gold strip.
  21. Curtain rod: narrow it. Fold the long edges behind to meet in the middle: a thin, stiff rod.
  22. Curtain rod: knobs. Fold each end straight down on a slant, 4 mm from the end: two little knobs.
  23. Bookshelf: new sheet. Set the rod aside. For the bookshelf, take a 6.6 × 17.5 cm piece of brown paper, brown side up, standing tall.
  24. Bookshelf: shelf 1. Fold the bottom part up on a line 5.15 cm below the top edge.
  25. Bookshelf: shelf 1, fold back. Fold it back down 5 mm higher. The pleat leaves a ledge: a shelf.
  26. Bookshelf: shelf 2. Fold the bottom part up again, 5.1 cm below the last shelf.
  27. Bookshelf: shelf 2, fold back. Fold it back down 5 mm higher: another shelf ledge.
  28. Bookshelf: shelf 3. Fold the bottom part up again, 5.1 cm below the last shelf.
  29. Bookshelf: shelf 3, fold back. Fold it back down 5 mm higher: another shelf ledge.
  30. Bookshelf: sides. Fold the left and right edges behind 5 mm, so the sides are straight and stiff.
  31. Books 1: new sheet. Set the bookshelf aside. For the books, take three 5.1 × 3 cm pieces: red, green and blue. Start with red, red side up.
  32. Books 1: first spine. Fold the right part over on an upright line 1.4 cm from the left edge.
  33. Books 1: first spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left. The pleat's edge splits off the first book.
  34. Books 1: second spine. Fold the right part over again, 1.4 cm from the first pleat.
  35. Books 1: second spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left: three books in a row.
  36. Books 1: heights. Fold the top behind on a gentle slant, from the top left corner to 9 mm down on the right: tall and short books.
  37. Books 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold the green piece the same way.
  38. Books 2: first spine. Fold the right part over 1.4 cm from the left.
  39. Books 2: first spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left.
  40. Books 2: second spine. Fold the right part over 1.4 cm further on.
  41. Books 2: second spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left: three books in a row.
  42. Books 2: heights. Fold the top behind on a gentle slant the same way.
  43. Books 3: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold the blue piece the same way.
  44. Books 3: first spine. Fold the right part over 1.4 cm from the left.
  45. Books 3: first spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left.
  46. Books 3: second spine. Fold the right part over 1.4 cm further on.
  47. Books 3: second spine, fold back. Fold it back 3 mm to the left: three books in a row.
  48. Books 3: heights. Fold the top behind on a gentle slant the same way.
  49. Rug: new sheet. Set the books aside. For the rug, take a 11.6 × 3.6 cm piece of teal paper, teal side up, long side across.
  50. Rug: sides. Fold the left and right edges over 4 mm.
  51. Rug: top and bottom. Fold the top and bottom edges over 4 mm: a white border all round.
  52. Rug: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 1 cm along each edge, for a soft oval rug.
  53. Toy box: new sheet. Set the rug aside. For the toy box, take a 4.8 × 5.4 cm piece of yellow paper, yellow side up.
  54. Toy box: lid. Fold the bottom part up on a line 1.4 cm below the top edge.
  55. Toy box: lid, fold back. Fold it back down 4 mm higher. The pleat's ledge is the edge of the lid.
  56. Toy box: corners. Fold the top corners behind 3 mm and the bottom corners behind 5 mm, for a chunky wooden chest.
  57. Teddy ears: new sheet. Set the toy box aside. For the teddy's ears, take a 4.2 × 2 cm piece of brown paper, white side up.
  58. Teddy ears: fold it in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge.
  59. Teddy ears: round the ends. Fold all four corners behind on a slant, so both ends are round. They will peek out as the ears.
  60. Teddy arms: new sheet. Set the ears aside. For the arms, take a 5.2 × 0.6 cm piece brown strip, white side up.
  61. Teddy arms: fold it in half. Fold the strip in half the long way, top edge down to the bottom edge, so it is thin and coloured on both sides.
  62. Teddy arms: bend the arms. Fold each end down and out on a slant, near the middle. Turned upside down later, these are arms reaching out.
  63. Teddy arms: tilt it. Turn the arms upside down, so the paws reach up.
  64. Teddy feet: new sheet. Set the arms aside. For the feet, take a 4 × 0.7 cm piece brown strip, white side up.
  65. Teddy feet: fold it in half. Fold the strip in half the long way, top edge down to the bottom edge, so it is thin and coloured on both sides.
  66. Teddy feet: bend the feet. Fold each end down and out on a slant, near the middle, so two little feet stick out.
  67. Teddy body: new sheet. Set the feet aside. For the body, take a 4.7 cm square of brown paper, white side up.
  68. Teddy body: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  69. Teddy body: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth coloured side faces you.
  70. Teddy body: round it off. Fold all four points behind, so the tummy is plump and round.
  71. Teddy head: new sheet. Set the body aside. For the head, take a 4.2 cm square of brown paper, white side up.
  72. Teddy head: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  73. Teddy head: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth coloured side faces you.
  74. Teddy head: round it off. Fold the side points behind a little and the top and bottom points a bit more, so the head is wide and round.
  75. Teddy muzzle: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the muzzle, take a 1.5 cm square of pale tan paper, white side up.
  76. Teddy muzzle: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  77. Teddy muzzle: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth coloured side faces you.
  78. Teddy muzzle: round it off. Fold all four points behind, so the muzzle is a round oval.
  79. Bedside table: new sheet. Set the bear aside. For the bedside table, take a 11.8 × 1.2 cm piece light-wood strip, long side across.
  80. Bedside table: narrow it. Fold the long edges behind to meet in the middle: a stiff strip.
  81. Bedside table: legs. Fold each end straight down on a slant, 4.3 cm from the end: a little table on two legs.
  82. Lamp base: new sheet. Set the table aside. For the lamp's base, take a 2.5 cm square of blue paper.
  83. Lamp base: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind, about 3 mm each, so the base is tall.
  84. Lamp base: round it. Fold all four corners behind a little to make the base round, like a jar.
  85. Lampshade: new sheet. Set the base aside. For the shade, take a 4.5 cm square of yellow paper.
  86. Lampshade: white trim. Fold the bottom edge up a thin strip, about 3 mm. The white strip is the trim.
  87. Lampshade: top behind. Fold the top part behind along a line a little above the middle.
  88. Lampshade: slant the sides. Fold the left and right sides behind on a slant, from near the top corners down to the bottom corners. The top is narrow.
  89. Headboard: new sheet. Set the shade aside. For the bed's headboard, take a 4.2 × 7.3 cm piece of brown paper, brown side up, standing tall.
  90. Headboard: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind to the middle, so it is tall and narrow.
  91. Headboard: round the top. Fold the two top corners behind a little.
  92. Footboard: new sheet. Set the headboard aside. For the footboard, take a 3.6 × 4.7 cm piece of brown paper, brown side up.
  93. Footboard: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind to the middle, the same way.
  94. Pillow: new sheet. Set the footboard aside. For the pillow, take a 4.2 cm square of white paper.
  95. Pillow: in half. Fold the top half behind, down to the bottom edge.
  96. Pillow: fluff it. Fold all four corners behind a little so the pillow is puffy.
  97. Quilt: new sheet. Set the pillow aside. For the quilt, take a 10.5 × 3.7 cm piece of blue paper, blue side up, lying across.
  98. Quilt: sheet edge. Fold the bottom edge up a thin strip, about 7 mm. The white strip is the sheet.
  99. Quilt: turn it down. Fold the left end over to the right, about 1.4 cm, so the white back shows like a turned-down quilt.
  100. Fire engine wheel: new sheet. Set the quilt aside. Last, a toy fire engine. For its front wheel, take a 1.9 cm square of black paper, white side up.
  101. Fire engine wheel: corners in. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  102. Fire engine wheel: hub. Fold each point back out a little, so a small white square shows in the middle.
  103. Fire engine wheel: round it. Fold the four points of the square a little way behind, so it looks round.
  104. Fire engine: new sheet. Set the wheel aside. For the truck, take a 9.7 × 3.8 cm piece of red paper, white side up, long side across.
  105. Fire engine: edges to the middle. Start white side up. Fold the top and bottom edges in to meet along the middle.
  106. Fire engine: fold in half. Mountain-fold it in half along the middle, so the top half goes behind. Now it is a long thick strip, red on both sides.
  107. Fire engine: cab. Outside-reverse-fold the short front end straight up, on a 45° crease from the bottom edge, wrapping it round the strip.
  108. Fire engine: windscreen. Fold the top front corner of the cab behind on a slant, for a sloping windscreen.
  109. Ladder: new sheet. Set the truck aside. For the ladder, take a 9.9 × 1.2 cm piece grey strip, white side up.
  110. Ladder: ladder rails. Fold the top and bottom edges in, leaving a white gap along the middle. The grey bands are the rails.
  111. Ladder: fold over. Near the right end, fold the left part over to the right, all layers together.
  112. Ladder: fold back. Fold it straight back a little further along, leaving a narrow pleat across. That's a rung.
  113. Ladder: fold over. A hand's width to the left, fold the left part over again.
  114. Ladder: fold back. Fold it back a little further along for the second rung.
  115. Ladder: fold over. Same again a hand's width further left.
  116. Ladder: fold back. Fold it back for the third rung.
  117. Ladder: fold over. Same again a hand's width further left.
  118. Ladder: fold back. Fold it back for the fourth rung.
  119. Ladder: fold over. And once more, near the left end.
  120. Ladder: fold back. Fold it back for the last rung.
  121. Ladder: tilt it. Tilt the ladder up over the cab.
  122. Back wheel: new sheet. Set the ladder aside. For the back wheel, take a 1.9 cm square of black paper, white side up.
  123. Back wheel: corners in. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  124. Back wheel: hub. Fold each point back out a little, so a small white square shows in the middle.
  125. Back wheel: round it. Fold the four points of the square a little way behind, so it looks round.
  126. Build the scene. Glue on the floor, window, moon, curtains and rod. Add the bookshelf and books, rug, toy box and teddy, table and lamp, the bed and the fire engine.
  127. Stand it up. Bend the wall gently towards you on the middle crease and stand the whole bedroom up on the table.

Sweet dreams!

Dot white stars in the window and a sleepy eye on the moon, a star on the toy box, and draw the teddy's face, the lamp's stripes and the fire engine's details.

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