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How to fold an origami farmers' market

A busy market build. Stripe two awnings with folded comb strips, pleat wooden crates, fill them with apples, carrots and pumpkins, fold a farmer, a shopper with a basket and bunting, then stand it up.

You need: 37 pieces: light-blue A4; white, red, yellow, blue, green, brown, light-brown, orange, skin, plum and tan paper (sizes in steps). Scissors, glue.. Challenge, 142 steps, about 120 minutes.

Steps

  1. Sky: crease the middle. Start with the sky: a light-blue A4 sheet lying long. Fold it in half, short edges together, and open it. It bends on this crease to stand.
  2. Bunting cord: new sheet. Set the sky aside. For the bunting cord, take a 28.8 × 0.8 cm white strip, lying long.
  3. Bunting cord: narrow it. Fold the long edges behind to meet in the middle at the back: a thin, stiff cord.
  4. Flag 1: new sheet. Set the cord aside. For a flag, take a 2 cm square of red paper, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  5. Flag 1: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner: a flag pointing down. Its folded edge hangs on the cord.
  6. Flag 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold a yellow flag the same way.
  7. Flag 2: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner.
  8. Flag 3: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold a blue flag the same way.
  9. Flag 3: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner.
  10. Flag 4: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold a red flag the same way.
  11. Flag 4: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner.
  12. Flag 5: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold a yellow flag the same way.
  13. Flag 5: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner.
  14. Flag 6: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold a blue flag the same way.
  15. Flag 6: fold it in half. Fold the top corner down to the bottom corner.
  16. Grass: new sheet. Set the last flag aside. For the grass, take a 29.7 × 10 cm green strip, white side up, long side across.
  17. Grass: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge. The fold is the front edge of the scene.
  18. Grass: gentle slopes. Fold the top left and right corners behind on long slants, 1.2 cm down the ends, so the ground rises in the middle.
  19. Stall poles: new sheet. Set the grass aside. For the first stall's poles, take a 22.4 × 1.2 cm dark-brown strip, long side across.
  20. Stall poles: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  21. Stall poles: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: two poles to hold up the awning.
  22. Farmer's shirt: new sheet. Set the poles aside. Now the farmer, starting with his shirt: a 9.4 × 1.4 cm red strip, long side across.
  23. Farmer's shirt: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  24. Farmer's shirt: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: his shoulders and arms.
  25. Farmer's overalls: new sheet. Set the shirt aside. For his overalls, take a 2.8 cm square of blue paper, blue side up.
  26. Farmer's overalls: the bib. Fold the top corners behind on slants, 5 mm along the top and 1.4 cm down the sides: a narrow bib.
  27. Farmer's head: new sheet. Set the overalls aside. For his head, take a 2.4 cm square of skin-tone paper.
  28. Farmer's head: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 5.5 mm along each edge: a round face.
  29. Straw hat: new sheet. Set the head aside. For his straw hat, take a 4.4 × 1.9 cm piece of yellow paper, yellow side up.
  30. Straw hat: the crown. Fold the top corners behind on long slants, 1.3 cm along the top and down to 6 mm above the bottom: a round crown over a wide brim.
  31. Straw hat: hat band. Fold the bottom edge up 3 mm: a white band round the hat.
  32. Apple 1: new sheet. Set the hat aside. For an apple, take a 2.9 cm square of red paper, white side up, like a diamond.
  33. Apple 1: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  34. Apple 1: round the corners. Fold the four corners of the square over a little: the two top ones a bit, the two bottom ones more.
  35. Apple 1: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth red side faces you.
  36. Apple 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold another apple the same way.
  37. Apple 2: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  38. Apple 2: round the corners. Fold the four corners of the square over a little: the two top ones a bit, the two bottom ones more.
  39. Apple 2: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth red side faces you.
  40. Apple 3: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold another apple the same way.
  41. Apple 3: corners to the middle. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle.
  42. Apple 3: round the corners. Fold the four corners of the square over a little: the two top ones a bit, the two bottom ones more.
  43. Apple 3: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth red side faces you.
  44. Fruit crate: new sheet. Set the apple aside. For the stall's crate, take a 9.6 × 7 cm piece of light-brown paper, brown side up.
  45. Fruit crate: pleat 1. Fold the bottom part up on a line 2.1 cm below the top edge.
  46. Fruit crate: pleat 1 back. Fold it back down on a line 3.5 mm higher. The pleat's edge parts two boards.
  47. Fruit crate: pleat 2. Make a second pleat the same way, its line 4 cm below the top edge.
  48. Fruit crate: pleat 2 back. Fold it back down 3.5 mm higher: three boards.
  49. Awning: new sheet. Set the crate aside. For its awning, take a 10.4 × 8 cm red piece, red side up, long side across.
  50. Awning: fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  51. Awning: in half again. Fold the right edge back over onto the left fold.
  52. Awning: and again. Fold it in half once more the same way, to a narrow stack 1.3 cm wide. Crease hard.
  53. Awning: snip the strips. Cut up both folded sides of the stack, from the bottom edge to halfway up (4 cm).
  54. Awning: open it. Unfold the last fold.
  55. Awning: open again. Unfold the next fold.
  56. Awning: open flat. Unfold the first fold too. Half of the piece is now eight loose strips.
  57. Awning: white stripes. Fold the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th strips up onto the front, along the end of the cuts. Their white backs make stripes.
  58. Awning: fold the rest behind. Fold the other strips up behind. Now red and white stripes run across the awning.
  59. Awning: flare it. Fold the left and right edges behind on slants, 1.1 cm at the top and nothing at the bottom, so the awning flares out.
  60. Stall poles: new sheet. Set the awning aside. For the second stall, fold another pole strip the same way.
  61. Stall poles: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  62. Stall poles: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: two poles to hold up the awning.
  63. Carrot 1 leaves: new sheet. Set the poles aside. For a carrot's leaves, take a 2.9 cm square of green paper.
  64. Carrot 1 leaves: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner.
  65. Carrot 1 leaves: fold the sides up. Fold the left and right corners up, creasing from the middle of the bottom edge, so they stand up and lean out beside the top point.
  66. Carrot 1: new sheet. Set the leaves aside. For its root, take a 3.6 cm square of orange paper, white side up, like a diamond.
  67. Carrot 1: crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  68. Carrot 1: make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  69. Carrot 1: fold the top down. Fold the white top point down over the flaps, on the line between the two side corners.
  70. Carrot 1: round the shoulders. Fold the two top corners over a little.
  71. Carrot 1: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth orange side faces you.
  72. Carrot 2 leaves: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold the leaves of the next carrot.
  73. Carrot 2 leaves: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner.
  74. Carrot 2 leaves: fold the sides up. Fold the left and right corners up, creasing from the middle of the bottom edge, so they stand up and lean out beside the top point.
  75. Carrot 2: new sheet. Set them aside. Fold its root the same way.
  76. Carrot 2: crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  77. Carrot 2: make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  78. Carrot 2: fold the top down. Fold the white top point down over the flaps, on the line between the two side corners.
  79. Carrot 2: round the shoulders. Fold the two top corners over a little.
  80. Carrot 2: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth orange side faces you.
  81. Carrot 3 leaves: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold the leaves of the next carrot.
  82. Carrot 3 leaves: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner.
  83. Carrot 3 leaves: fold the sides up. Fold the left and right corners up, creasing from the middle of the bottom edge, so they stand up and lean out beside the top point.
  84. Carrot 3: new sheet. Set them aside. Fold its root the same way.
  85. Carrot 3: crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  86. Carrot 3: make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  87. Carrot 3: fold the top down. Fold the white top point down over the flaps, on the line between the two side corners.
  88. Carrot 3: round the shoulders. Fold the two top corners over a little.
  89. Carrot 3: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth orange side faces you.
  90. Veg crate: new sheet. Set the carrot aside. Pleat a second crate the same way.
  91. Veg crate: pleat 1. Fold the bottom part up on a line 2.1 cm below the top edge.
  92. Veg crate: pleat 1 back. Fold it back down on a line 3.5 mm higher. The pleat's edge parts two boards.
  93. Veg crate: pleat 2. Make a second pleat the same way, its line 4 cm below the top edge.
  94. Veg crate: pleat 2 back. Fold it back down 3.5 mm higher: three boards.
  95. Awning: new sheet. Set the crate aside. For its awning, take a 10.4 × 8 cm green piece, green side up, and stripe it the same way.
  96. Awning: fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  97. Awning: in half again. Fold the right edge back over onto the left fold.
  98. Awning: and again. Fold it in half once more the same way, to a narrow stack 1.3 cm wide. Crease hard.
  99. Awning: snip the strips. Cut up both folded sides of the stack, from the bottom edge to halfway up (4 cm).
  100. Awning: open it. Unfold the last fold.
  101. Awning: open again. Unfold the next fold.
  102. Awning: open flat. Unfold the first fold too. Half of the piece is now eight loose strips.
  103. Awning: white stripes. Fold the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th strips up onto the front, along the end of the cuts. Their white backs make stripes.
  104. Awning: fold the rest behind. Fold the other strips up behind. Now green and white stripes run across the awning.
  105. Awning: flare it. Fold the left and right edges behind on slants, 1.1 cm at the top and nothing at the bottom, so the awning flares out.
  106. Pumpkin 1: new sheet. Set the awning aside. For a big pumpkin, take a 4.8 cm square of orange paper, white side up, like a diamond.
  107. Pumpkin 1: crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  108. Pumpkin 1: make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  109. Pumpkin 1: turn it over. Flip the kite over.
  110. Pumpkin 1: flatten the top. Fold the top point behind, a little above the side corners.
  111. Pumpkin 1: fold up the stem. Fold the long point up behind, just below the middle, so its tip peeks out above the top edge.
  112. Pumpkin 1: round it off. Fold the six corners of the pumpkin behind, and the very tip of the stem.
  113. Pumpkin 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold another pumpkin from a 4.2 cm square of orange paper.
  114. Pumpkin 2: crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  115. Pumpkin 2: make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  116. Pumpkin 2: turn it over. Flip the kite over.
  117. Pumpkin 2: flatten the top. Fold the top point behind, a little above the side corners.
  118. Pumpkin 2: fold up the stem. Fold the long point up behind, just below the middle, so its tip peeks out above the top edge.
  119. Pumpkin 2: round it off. Fold the six corners of the pumpkin behind, and the very tip of the stem.
  120. Shopper's hair: new sheet. Set the pumpkin aside. Now a shopper, starting with her hair: a 3.4 × 3 cm dark-brown piece.
  121. Shopper's hair: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 9 mm along each edge.
  122. Shopper's arms: new sheet. Set the hair aside. For her arms, take a 12.4 × 1.2 cm skin-tone strip, long side across.
  123. Shopper's arms: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  124. Shopper's arms: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: two arms, one ready to carry a basket.
  125. Shopper's legs: new sheet. Set the arms aside. For her legs, take a 11 × 1.4 cm skin-tone strip.
  126. Shopper's legs: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  127. Shopper's legs: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: two legs.
  128. Shopper's dress: new sheet. Set the legs aside. For her dress, take a 4.8 × 6.7 cm plum piece, standing tall.
  129. Shopper's dress: flare it. Fold the left and right edges behind on slants, 1.1 cm at the top and nothing at the bottom: a dress that flares out.
  130. Shopper's head: new sheet. Set the dress aside. For her head, take a 2.5 cm square of skin-tone paper.
  131. Shopper's head: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 6 mm along each edge.
  132. Basket handle: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the basket handle, take a 5.6 × 0.7 cm brown strip.
  133. Basket handle: narrow it. Fold the top and bottom edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. Press hard: a stiff strip.
  134. Basket handle: bend the ends. Fold both ends down on slants from the bottom corners: a square arch of a handle.
  135. Basket: new sheet. Set the handle aside. For the basket, take a 3.4 × 4.2 cm piece of tan paper, tan side up.
  136. Basket: pleat 1. Fold the bottom part up on a line 1.1 cm below the top edge.
  137. Basket: pleat 1 back. Fold it back down on a line 3.5 mm higher. The pleat's edge parts two boards.
  138. Basket: pleat 2. Make a second pleat the same way, its line 2 cm below the top edge.
  139. Basket: pleat 2 back. Fold it back down 3.5 mm higher: three boards.
  140. Basket: slope the sides. Fold the bottom corners behind on slants, 6 mm along the bottom edge and up to the top corners: a basket wider at the top.
  141. Build the scene. Glue the cord and flags across the sky and the grass below. Build each stall back to front: poles, farmer or carrots, crate, awning. Add the pumpkins and shopper.
  142. Stand it up. Bend the sky gently towards you on the middle crease and stand the whole market up on the table.

Fresh today!

Draw the faces, the farmer's straps and buttons, the shopper's shoes, and a shine on each apple.

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