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How to fold an origami chihuahua

Fold a kite body on thin legs. Split a wide strip on top into two huge ears, crimp the small head down, then pleat the body short and lift a strip into the tail.

You need: 1 golden tan square (15 cm or bigger), scissors and a black pen. Hard, 21 steps, about 35 minutes.

Steps

  1. Diamond. Start white side up and turn the square so a corner points up, like a diamond.
  2. Crease the middle. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner, crease and unfold.
  3. Kite. Fold the edges at the left point in on creases from the point to 9.4 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the chihuahua's head.
  4. Narrow the other end. Fold the edges at the right point in on creases from the point to 7.5 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the tail.
  5. Tummy corners. Fold the top and bottom corners in on creases 4.1 cm above and below the middle crease. They will be hidden inside.
  6. Fold in half. Fold the top half down onto the bottom half along the middle crease. The long fold on top is the back, the flat bottom is the tummy.
  7. Crease two strips. Fold the bottom edge up 1 cm and the top edge down 1.3 cm, all layers, and crease both hard. These strips give the legs and the ears.
  8. Open it. Unfold both strips again.
  9. Slit the legs. Cut along the strip crease from the front end in 2.9 cm, and from the back end in 2.8 cm.
  10. Free the ears. Cut the top crease 3.2 cm in from the front end. Cut the top fold open 4.6 cm from the front point. Cut the top crease 2.8 cm in from the back end, for the tail.
  11. Tuck the strip. Fold the slit strip up along its crease, the front layers up in front and the back layers up behind.
  12. Front legs. Swing the front strip down on slanted creases from its inner end, the front layers one way and the back ones behind, a little apart.
  13. Back legs. Swing the back strip down the same way, the front layers forward and the back ones behind.
  14. Ears up. Fold the front layer of the split strip up on a crease from the end of its cut, leaning forward. Fold the back layer up behind, leaning back.
  15. Head: crease. Fold the head end over on an upright crease at the bottom of the ears, 3.2 cm from the tip. Leave the ears up.
  16. Head: crimp. Fold it back on a crease slanting a little from the same top point, so the small head tips down.
  17. Short nose. Fold the tip of the head behind, 0.8 cm from the point, all layers together, so the snout is short.
  18. Rump. Fold the back end behind on an upright crease 3 cm behind the back legs, all layers except the tail strip.
  19. Pleat: fold over. Fold the back part over to the front on an upright crease through the body, all layers together.
  20. Pleat: fold back. Fold it back again on an upright crease 1.5 cm further forward. The body gets short and dainty.
  21. Tail up. Fold the tail strip up behind on a slanted crease from the end of its cut, both layers together, so the tail sticks up.

Tiny but brave!

Draw a big shiny round eye and a little black nose on the small head.

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