How to fold an origami hot air balloon
Fold the edges of a red square in to make bold stripes, round it into a balloon that narrows at the bottom, then hang a little folded basket below on drawn ropes.
You need: A 15 cm square, red on one side, a 4.5 cm brown square and a glue stick. Medium, 9 steps, about 10 minutes.
Steps
- Balloon: fold in the edges. White side up. Fold the left and right edges in 3 cm, so you get three stripes the same width: red, white, red.
- Balloon: top edge behind. Fold the top edge behind by 3 cm.
- Balloon: top corners. Fold both top corners behind on a slant to start the round top.
- Balloon: narrow the bottom. Fold the lower sides behind on a slant, from a little below the middle to near the bottom centre, so it narrows to a small mouth.
- Balloon: round it. Fold the little corners on the top and sides behind so the balloon is nice and round.
- Basket: new sheet. Set the balloon aside. Take the small brown square, brown side up.
- Basket: top and bottom. Fold the top edge and the bottom edge behind, about a third each, to make a short, wide strip.
- Basket: slant the sides. Fold the sides behind on a slant so the basket is a little narrower at the bottom.
- Hang the balloon. Glue the basket on your card and the balloon a little way above it, its narrow mouth over the middle of the basket.
Up, up and away!
Draw ropes from the balloon down to the basket corners, and a woven pattern on the basket. Where will it fly to?