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How to fold an origami beetle

Fold the sides of a green square in so they meet with a thin split, pleat a ledge behind the head and fold the corners behind for the shape. Three dark strips folded thin make six bent legs.

You need: 1 green square, 3 dark strips 15 × 1.8 cm, 1 dark strip 7.5 × 1.5 cm, a glue stick, a black pen and a white gel pen. Medium, 23 steps, about 15 minutes.

Steps

  1. Shell: sides in. Start white side up. Fold the left and right edges in to just short of the middle, leaving a thin white split between them.
  2. Pleat: top down. Fold the top quarter down over the front.
  3. Pleat: back up. Fold it back up on a crease a little lower. The ledge it leaves is where the head meets the shell.
  4. Shape the head. Fold the two top corners behind on a slant, from 1 cm either side of the middle at the top down to the sides 2.5 cm lower.
  5. Round the tail. Fold the two bottom corners behind on a slant, from the sides 4 cm above the bottom to 2.5 cm in along the bottom.
  6. Round it more. Fold the new corners behind a little too, so the tail end is smooth and round.
  7. Feelers: a strip. Set the shell aside. Take a dark strip half as long as the square, white side up, lying across.
  8. Feelers: narrow it. Fold it in half the long way.
  9. Feelers: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way, so it's a thin dark stick. Crease it hard.
  10. Feelers: fold a V. Fold the left half over on a slant through the middle, so the two ends spread apart in a narrow V.
  11. Front legs: a strip. Set it aside and take the next dark strip, white side up.
  12. Front legs: narrow it. Fold it in half the long way, dark side out.
  13. Front legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way, so it's a thin dark stick. Crease it hard.
  14. Front legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends the same way, 2 cm from each end, to make knees. One leg will reach forward, the other back.
  15. Back legs: a strip. Set it aside and take the next dark strip, white side up.
  16. Back legs: narrow it. Fold it in half the long way, dark side out.
  17. Back legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way, so it's a thin dark stick. Crease it hard.
  18. Back legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends the other way, 2 cm from each end.
  19. Middle legs: a strip. Set it aside and take the next dark strip, white side up.
  20. Middle legs: narrow it. Fold it in half the long way, dark side out.
  21. Middle legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way, so it's a thin dark stick. Crease it hard.
  22. Middle legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends down, 2 cm from each end.
  23. Glue it together. Cross the front and back legs in an X under the middle legs. Glue the shell on top and the feelers' V under the head.

Crawly and shiny!

Draw two black eyes on the head. Draw a white shine on each side of the shell.

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