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How to fold an origami cruise ship

Fold a long pale strip in half, then pleat each end twice on steep slants, so the decks step down tier by tier. Fold a red strip into two funnels.

You need: A 9 × 27 cm strip, pale grey on one side, a 2 × 9 cm red strip, a glue stick and a black pen. Medium, 11 steps, about 14 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. Lay the strip white side up, long side across. Fold the bottom edge up to the top. It's grey on both sides now.
  2. Top deck: steep folds. Fold each end over on a steep slant that starts on the top edge, about a third of the way in from each end.
  3. Top deck: fold back. Fold each end back out on a parallel slant, a little way in. Both ends drop a step: the top deck stands up in the middle.
  4. Next deck: steep folds. Do it again further out: fold each end over on a steep slant from the new top edge, closer to the ends.
  5. Next deck: fold back. Fold each end back out on a parallel slant. The ends drop another step: three decks, stepping down to the bow and stern.
  6. Hull: straight bottom. Fold the uneven bottom behind on one straight line, close to the bottom.
  7. Hull: bow and stern. Fold the bottom-right corner behind on a long slant for a sharp, raked bow, and the left end behind on a slight slant.
  8. Funnels: new sheet. Set the ship aside. Lay the red strip white side up, long side across.
  9. Funnels: fold in half. Fold the strip in half the long way, bottom edge up to the top, so it's red on both sides.
  10. Funnels: stand them up. Fold each end straight up on a slant from the bottom edge, so both stand up as funnels, leaning a little to the left.
  11. Glue on the funnels. Glue the funnel strip behind the top deck, so only the two funnels stick up above it.

All aboard!

Draw rows of windows on each deck, portholes along the hull and a dark stripe at the waterline. Add ripples.

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