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How to fold an origami racing greyhound

Fold a slim kite body and swing long legs out in a gallop. Crimp the neck up and the head forward, pleat the body short and fold a thin strip down into the tail.

You need: 1 grey 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 6.8 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the greyhound's head.
  4. Narrow the other end. Fold the edges at the right point in on creases from the point to 6 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the tail.
  5. Tummy corners. Fold the top and bottom corners in on creases 2.8 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 0.9 cm and the top edge down 0.5 cm, all layers, and crease both hard. These strips give the legs and the tail.
  8. Open it. Unfold both strips again.
  9. Slit the legs. Cut along the strip crease from the front end in 4.7 cm, and from the back end in 4.7 cm.
  10. Free the tail. Cut the top crease 5.7 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: reach. 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: push. Swing the back strip down the same way, the front layers forward and the back ones behind.
  14. Neck: crease. Fold the front end over on an upright crease 6 cm from its tip, all layers together. Leave the legs out.
  15. Neck: crimp up. Fold it back on a crease slanting from the same bottom point, so the long neck rises up.
  16. Head: crease. Fold the top of the neck down on a crease straight across it, 3 cm from the tip, all layers together.
  17. Head: crimp. Fold it back on a crease slanting from the same back corner, so the slim head points forward.
  18. Rump. Fold the back end behind on an upright crease 3.2 cm behind the back legs, all layers except the thin 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 0.9 cm further forward. The body gets shorter, with a deep chest.
  21. Tail. Fold the thin strip down behind on a slanted crease from the end of its cut, both layers together, so the long tail streams out behind.

Off like a rocket!

Draw a small shiny eye and a black nose on the narrow head.

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