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How to fold an origami knights' tournament

A royal build. Fold a red tent with tied-back curtains and a pointed roof, two pennants, the queen, a wooden barrier, two horses with knights and their lances, then stand it up.

You need: 27 pieces: pale-blue A4, red, gold, blue, yellow, pink, skin, brown, green, silver, black and orange paper (sizes in steps). Scissors, glue, pens.. Challenge, 122 steps, about 120 minutes.

Steps

  1. Sky: crease the middle. Start with the sky: a pale-blue A4 sheet lying long. Fold it in half, short edges together, and open it. It bends on this crease to stand.
  2. Tent: new sheet. Set the sky aside. For the tent, take a 18.0 × 7.6 cm red piece, white side up, long side across.
  3. Tent: sides in. Fold the left and right edges in 4.0 cm, so they stop 2 cm apart. The white gap between them is the doorway.
  4. Tent: tie back the door. Fold the bottom inner corner of each red flap back out on a slant, from 2 cm below the top to 2.2 cm along the bottom. The curtains are tied open.
  5. Tent roof: new sheet. Set the tent aside. For its roof, take a 12.6 cm red square, white side up.
  6. Tent roof: corners down. Fold the top left and top right corners down to meet on the middle line, like a paper plane. A coloured point on top.
  7. Tent roof: white trim. Fold the bottom part behind on a crease 5 mm below the coloured triangles. A thin white trim shows under them.
  8. Tent roof: make it steep. Fold the left and right corners behind on slants, from the top point to 5.8 cm either side of the middle of the bottom edge.
  9. Pennant 1 pole: new sheet. Set the roof aside. For a pennant's pole, take a 1.6 × 13.0 cm gold strip, white side up, standing tall.
  10. Pennant 1 pole: fold in half. Fold it in half lengthwise, one long edge onto the other.
  11. Pennant 1 pole: thin it. Fold it in half lengthwise again. Press hard: a stiff, thin stick.
  12. Pennant 1 flag: new sheet. Set the pole aside. For the flag, take a 3.4 × 2.2 cm blue piece, blue side up, long side across.
  13. Pennant 1 flag: make the point. Fold the top half behind on the diagonal, from the top corner by the pole to the far bottom corner. A long, pointed pennant.
  14. Pennant 1 flag: white hoist. Fold the left edge over 5 mm: a white band where the flag meets the pole.
  15. Pennant 2 pole: new sheet. Set the flag aside. For a pennant's pole, take a 1.6 × 13.0 cm gold strip, white side up, standing tall.
  16. Pennant 2 pole: fold in half. Fold it in half lengthwise, one long edge onto the other.
  17. Pennant 2 pole: thin it. Fold it in half lengthwise again. Press hard: a stiff, thin stick.
  18. Pennant 2 flag: new sheet. Set the pole aside. For the flag, take a 3.4 × 2.2 cm yellow piece, yellow side up, long side across.
  19. Pennant 2 flag: make the point. Fold the top half behind on the diagonal, from the top corner by the pole to the far bottom corner. A long, pointed pennant.
  20. Pennant 2 flag: white hoist. Fold the right edge over 5 mm: a white band where the flag meets the pole.
  21. Hair: new sheet. Set the flag aside. Now the queen, folded like the Royal Ball princess at half size. Her hair: a 3 cm yellow square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  22. Hair: fold a kite. Fold the lower left and lower right edges in to meet on the middle line: a long yellow point hangs down.
  23. Hair: flat top. Fold the white top point behind, level with the top of the side flaps.
  24. Gown: new sheet. Set the hair aside. For her gown, take a 4.5 cm pink square, pink side up. Halve every size given.
  25. Gown: the ruffle. Fold a 9 mm strip at the bottom up to show a white band: the ruffle at the hem.
  26. Gown: flare it out. Keep the middle third of the top edge. Fold each side behind on a long slant from there to the side edge, a quarter of the way up.
  27. Bodice: new sheet. Set the gown aside. For the top of her gown, take a 2.5 cm pink square, pink side up.
  28. Bodice: neckline and sash. Fold a thin strip at the top down and a slightly wider strip at the bottom up, so two white bands show: the neckline and the sash.
  29. Bodice: slim the waist. Fold each side behind on a slant, a little more at the bottom than at the top: wide at the shoulders, slim at the waist.
  30. Princess's head: new sheet. Set it aside. For her face, take a 1.7 cm skin-tone square, turned like a diamond.
  31. Princess's head: round it. Fold all four corners a little way behind to make a round face.
  32. Crown: new sheet. Set her head aside. For her crown, take a 1.5 cm gold square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  33. Crown: fold in half. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner. The middle point stands up.
  34. Crown: side points up. Fold the left and right corners up on slants starting 4 mm either side of the middle, so they stand up as two more points.
  35. Post 1: new sheet. Set the crown aside. For a barrier post, take a 2 × 4.8 cm brown strip, white side up, standing tall.
  36. Post 1: sides in. Fold the left and right edges in to meet in the middle: a sturdy brown post.
  37. Post 1: pointed top. Fold the two top corners behind on slants to meet in the middle, so the post has a pointed top.
  38. Post 2: new sheet. Set the post aside. For a barrier post, take a 2 × 4.8 cm brown strip, white side up, standing tall.
  39. Post 2: sides in. Fold the left and right edges in to meet in the middle: a sturdy brown post.
  40. Post 2: pointed top. Fold the two top corners behind on slants to meet in the middle, so the post has a pointed top.
  41. Rail 1: new sheet. Set the post aside. For a rail, take a 29.7 × 1.8 cm brown strip, white side up, long side across.
  42. Rail 1: edges in. Fold the top and bottom edges in to meet in the middle: a long, strong brown rail.
  43. Rail 2: new sheet. Set the rail aside. For a rail, take a 29.7 × 1.8 cm brown strip, white side up, long side across.
  44. Rail 2: edges in. Fold the top and bottom edges in to meet in the middle: a long, strong brown rail.
  45. Ground: new sheet. Set the rail aside. For the grass, take a 29.7 × 4.6 cm green piece, white side up, long side across.
  46. Ground: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge. The fold is the bottom of the scene.
  47. Ground: gentle slopes. Fold the top left and top right corners behind on long, gentle slants, 1 cm down the ends, so the grass rises in the middle.
  48. Horse 1: new sheet. Set the ground aside. For the first horse, fold the gallery horse from a 15 cm brown square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  49. Horse 1: fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the horse's back.
  50. Horse 1: crease the middle. Fold the triangle in half, right point onto the left point, and crease it hard. This crease marks the back of the front legs.
  51. Horse 1: open it. Unfold it back into the triangle.
  52. Horse 1: crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 3 cm left of the middle crease. This crease marks the front of the hind legs.
  53. Horse 1: open it. Unfold it again.
  54. Horse 1: neck back. Outside-reverse-fold the right end back over the body, on an upright crease 1.5 cm right of the middle crease. Each layer wraps round the outside.
  55. Horse 1: cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 6 cm below the top fold. Cut up both leg creases to 2.5 cm below the top, and straight across between them.
  56. Horse 1: cut the neck. Cut up the neck fold to 2.25 cm below the top. From there cut the neck flaps to 1.5 cm deep at their tip, and snip the tip off square 1 cm in.
  57. Horse 1: lift the neck. Outside-reverse-fold the neck up on a crease from its bottom corner, so it stands up and leans forward over the front legs.
  58. Horse 1: snip the folds. Cut along the neck's back fold to the nose, and 1 cm down the crease at its base. Cut 5 cm along the top fold from the left point.
  59. Horse 1: mane out. Fold the back edge of each neck layer out, 1 cm wide at the base and tapering to nothing 2.5 cm from the nose, so a white mane shows.
  60. Horse 1: head back. Fold the top 2.5 cm of each neck layer back over the mane, on a crease from the top of the mane slanting down to the front edge.
  61. Horse 1: head out. Fold the head back up on a crease from the same corner, so it points forward and down. Glue the two head layers together.
  62. Horse 1: tail down. Fold each layer of the left point down and back on a crease from the end of the cut, so it hangs as a white tail.
  63. Horse 1: shape the rump. Cut up the tail crease from below, leaving its top 1.5 cm. Cut the rump from there, curving in to the back of the hind hooves. Trim the tail slimmer.
  64. Knight 1: new sheet. Set the horse aside. For its rider, fold the gallery knight small: a 6 cm silver square, silver side up. Use two fifths of every size given.
  65. Knight 1: body: crease the middle. Silver side up. Fold the left edge onto the right edge.
  66. Knight 1: body: open it. Unfold it, so a crease runs down the middle.
  67. Knight 1: body: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind to meet at the middle crease.
  68. Knight 1: body: snip the arms free. Snip down both side folds from the top edge, 5.6 cm long.
  69. Knight 1: body: swing out the arms. At the back, fold the top of each side flap out on a slant from the end of the snip, so it sticks straight out as an arm.
  70. Knight 1: body: pleat the belt. Fold the bottom of the body up on a level crease 5 cm above the bottom edge. Leave the arms out.
  71. Knight 1: body: fold it back down. Fold it back down on a crease 6 mm higher, leaving a step across the waist for the belt.
  72. Knight 1: body: cut the legs. Snip up the middle crease 2.1 cm from the bottom, then cut a slim V from its end to make two legs. Snip the outer corners of the feet.
  73. Knight 1: body: shape the helmet. Cut the head a little narrower towards the top, from each shoulder up to 7.5 mm in, then snip the top corners off for a helmet.
  74. Knight 1: body: round the hands. Snip the corners off the end of each arm, so the gloves are round.
  75. Knight 1: shield: new sheet. Set the knight aside. For his shield, take a 2.8 cm blue square, blue side up.
  76. Knight 1: shield: fold the point. Fold the two bottom corners behind on slants from 4 cm down each side to the middle of the bottom edge.
  77. Knight 1: plume: new sheet. Set the shield aside. For his plume, take a 2 × 3.2 cm red rectangle, standing tall, white side up.
  78. Knight 1: plume: fold in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge. The fold on top is the plume's crest.
  79. Knight 1: plume: round and fringe it. Round off both top corners in a curve. Then snip down from the fold every 6 mm, stopping 1.5 cm above the bottom, for a feathery fringe.
  80. Lance 1: new sheet. Set the plume aside. For his lance, take a 2 × 15.5 cm yellow strip, white side up.
  81. Lance 1: fold in half. Fold it in half lengthwise, one long edge onto the other.
  82. Lance 1: thin it. Fold it in half lengthwise again. Press hard: a stiff, thin stick.
  83. Lance 1: sharp point. Fold one corner at the far end behind on a long slant, so the end comes to a sharp point.
  84. Horse 2: new sheet. Set the lance aside. Fold a second horse the same way, from a 15 cm black square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  85. Horse 2: fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the horse's back.
  86. Horse 2: crease the middle. Fold the triangle in half, right point onto the left point, and crease it hard. This crease marks the back of the front legs.
  87. Horse 2: open it. Unfold it back into the triangle.
  88. Horse 2: crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 3 cm left of the middle crease. This crease marks the front of the hind legs.
  89. Horse 2: open it. Unfold it again.
  90. Horse 2: neck back. Outside-reverse-fold the right end back over the body, on an upright crease 1.5 cm right of the middle crease. Each layer wraps round the outside.
  91. Horse 2: cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 6 cm below the top fold. Cut up both leg creases to 2.5 cm below the top, and straight across between them.
  92. Horse 2: cut the neck. Cut up the neck fold to 2.25 cm below the top. From there cut the neck flaps to 1.5 cm deep at their tip, and snip the tip off square 1 cm in.
  93. Horse 2: lift the neck. Outside-reverse-fold the neck up on a crease from its bottom corner, so it stands up and leans forward over the front legs.
  94. Horse 2: snip the folds. Cut along the neck's back fold to the nose, and 1 cm down the crease at its base. Cut 5 cm along the top fold from the left point.
  95. Horse 2: mane out. Fold the back edge of each neck layer out, 1 cm wide at the base and tapering to nothing 2.5 cm from the nose, so a white mane shows.
  96. Horse 2: head back. Fold the top 2.5 cm of each neck layer back over the mane, on a crease from the top of the mane slanting down to the front edge.
  97. Horse 2: head out. Fold the head back up on a crease from the same corner, so it points forward and down. Glue the two head layers together.
  98. Horse 2: tail down. Fold each layer of the left point down and back on a crease from the end of the cut, so it hangs as a white tail.
  99. Horse 2: shape the rump. Cut up the tail crease from below, leaving its top 1.5 cm. Cut the rump from there, curving in to the back of the hind hooves. Trim the tail slimmer.
  100. Horse 2: turn it over. Turn the black horse over, so it faces left, towards the first horse.
  101. Knight 2: new sheet. Set the horse aside. Fold a second knight the same way, from a 6 cm silver square, silver side up.
  102. Knight 2: body: crease the middle. Silver side up. Fold the left edge onto the right edge.
  103. Knight 2: body: open it. Unfold it, so a crease runs down the middle.
  104. Knight 2: body: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind to meet at the middle crease.
  105. Knight 2: body: snip the arms free. Snip down both side folds from the top edge, 5.6 cm long.
  106. Knight 2: body: swing out the arms. At the back, fold the top of each side flap out on a slant from the end of the snip, so it sticks straight out as an arm.
  107. Knight 2: body: pleat the belt. Fold the bottom of the body up on a level crease 5 cm above the bottom edge. Leave the arms out.
  108. Knight 2: body: fold it back down. Fold it back down on a crease 6 mm higher, leaving a step across the waist for the belt.
  109. Knight 2: body: cut the legs. Snip up the middle crease 2.1 cm from the bottom, then cut a slim V from its end to make two legs. Snip the outer corners of the feet.
  110. Knight 2: body: shape the helmet. Cut the head a little narrower towards the top, from each shoulder up to 7.5 mm in, then snip the top corners off for a helmet.
  111. Knight 2: body: round the hands. Snip the corners off the end of each arm, so the gloves are round.
  112. Knight 2: shield: new sheet. Set the knight aside. For his shield, take a 2.8 cm red square, red side up.
  113. Knight 2: shield: fold the point. Fold the two bottom corners behind on slants from 4 cm down each side to the middle of the bottom edge.
  114. Knight 2: plume: new sheet. Set the shield aside. For his plume, take a 2 × 3.2 cm blue rectangle, standing tall, white side up.
  115. Knight 2: plume: fold in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge. The fold on top is the plume's crest.
  116. Knight 2: plume: round and fringe it. Round off both top corners in a curve. Then snip down from the fold every 6 mm, stopping 1.5 cm above the bottom, for a feathery fringe.
  117. Lance 2: new sheet. Set the plume aside. For his lance, take a 2 × 15.5 cm orange strip, white side up.
  118. Lance 2: fold in half. Fold it in half lengthwise, one long edge onto the other.
  119. Lance 2: thin it. Fold it in half lengthwise again. Press hard: a stiff, thin stick.
  120. Lance 2: sharp point. Fold one corner at the far end behind on a long slant, so the end comes to a sharp point.
  121. Build the scene. Glue the tent, roof and pennants on the sky, then the queen in the doorway, the barrier and the grass. Seat each knight on his horse, a lance in his hand.
  122. Stand it up. Bend the sky gently towards you on the middle crease and stand the whole tournament up on the table.

Let the joust begin!

Paint white stripes on the tent and white clouds. Draw the queen's smile, the knights' visors and belts, white crosses on the shields and the horses' eyes.

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