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How to fold an origami sea turtle

Pleat a green sheet into a ridged shell and fold its corners behind into a teardrop. Add a folded head, then pointed front and back flippers, each folded back at the elbow.

You need: A 12 × 18 cm olive sheet, a 6 cm square and 4 × 28 cm and 3 × 16 cm strips of light green paper, glue and a pen. Hard, 19 steps, about 25 minutes.

Steps

  1. Pleat the back row. Coloured side up, short edges at top and bottom. Fold the bottom edge up on a level crease 4.5 cm from the bottom.
  2. And back down. Fold the flap back down on a crease 1 cm higher, so a ridge runs across the shell.
  3. Pleat the front row. Fold the top edge down on a level crease 5 cm from the top.
  4. And back up. Fold the flap back up on a crease 1 cm lower, so the shell has three rows.
  5. Point the back. Fold the two bottom corners behind on long slants, from 9 cm down each side to the middle of the bottom edge, so the back is a blunt point.
  6. Round the front. Fold the two top corners behind on slants, about 4 cm each way.
  7. Round it more. Fold the four little corners left at the front behind, so the shell is a smooth teardrop.
  8. The head. Set the shell aside. Take the 6 cm square, white side up.
  9. Head: fold in half. Fold the right half over onto the left half.
  10. Head: round the top. Fold the two top corners behind on short slants, so the top of the head is round.
  11. The front flippers. Set the head aside. Take the long 4 × 28 cm strip, white side up, lying across.
  12. Front: fold in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge, so the strip is green on both sides.
  13. Front: point the ends. At each end, fold the lower corner behind on a long slant from the top corner, so both ends taper to a point.
  14. Front: sweep them back. Fold each end down and back on a slanted crease 6 cm from the middle, so the flippers sweep back like wings.
  15. The back flippers. Set the front flippers aside. Take the 3 × 16 cm strip, white side up, lying across.
  16. Back: fold in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge, so it's green on both sides.
  17. Back: point the ends. At each end, fold the lower corner behind on a slant from the top corner, so the flipper narrows to a point.
  18. Back: sweep them back. Fold each end down on a slanted crease 4 cm from the middle, so they point back.
  19. Glue it together. Glue the flipper strips and the head behind the shell: front flippers near the front, back flippers near the tail, head poking out the top.

Off to sea!

Draw plates on the shell, two eyes and a smile on the head.

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