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How to fold an origami rat

Fold a plump kite body, slit short legs and swing them down, free a strip along the back at both ends, stand the front into a round ear and taper the back into a long tail.

You need: 1 grey square (15 cm), scissors and a black pen. Hard, 18 steps, about 35 minutes.

Steps

  1. Crease the middle. White side up, turned like a diamond, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner, crease and unfold.
  2. 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 rat's snout.
  3. 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.
  4. Tummy corners. Fold the top and bottom corners in on creases 5 cm above and below the middle crease. They will be hidden inside.
  5. 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.
  6. Crease two strips. Fold the bottom edge up 1.2 cm and the top edge down 1.3 cm, all layers, and crease both hard. These strips give the legs and the ear and tail.
  7. Open it. Unfold both strips again.
  8. Slit the legs. Cut along the strip crease from the front end in 2 cm, and from the back end in 2.2 cm.
  9. Free the ear and tail. Cut along the top crease from the front end in 3.2 cm. Cut along the top crease from the back end in 5.5 cm.
  10. Front legs. 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.
  11. Back legs. Swing the back strip down the same way, the front layers forward and the back ones behind.
  12. Ear up. Fold the free front strip up behind on a slanted crease from the end of its cut, both layers together, so it stands up behind the snout.
  13. Round ear. Fold the top of the ear down behind 3 cm above the end of the cut, then fold its two top corners behind a little.
  14. Round the corners. Fold the two top corners of the ear behind, 0.5 cm along each edge, so the ear is round.
  15. Thin tail. Fold the lower edge of the free back strip behind on a crease from the end of its cut to the tail point, both layers, so the tail tapers.
  16. Rump. Fold the back end of the body behind on an upright crease under the root of the tail. Leave the tail and legs out.
  17. Round the rump. Fold the new bottom back corner behind too, 0.9 cm along each edge, so the rump is round.
  18. Tail down. Fold the tail down on a slanted crease 2.3 cm from its root, both layers together, so it droops down behind the rat.

Squeak!

Draw a shiny eye and a dark nose on the tip of the pointed snout.

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