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How to fold an origami sky castle

A dreamy build. Fold a rainbow, eight-point stars, a pegasus, a castle wall with a gate, three towers with cone roofs, a princess on her balcony and fluffy clouds, then stand it up.

You need: 32 pieces: blue A4, white, pink, purple, gold, yellow, skin-tone and rainbow-coloured paper (sizes in steps). Scissors, glue, pens.. Challenge, 127 steps, about 120 minutes.

Steps

  1. Sky: crease the middle. Start with the sky: a blue A4 sheet lying long. Fold it in half, short edges together, and open it. It bends on this crease to stand.
  2. Rainbow: new sheet. Set the sky aside. For the rainbow, take a 15.2 × 1.6 cm red strip, white side up, long side across.
  3. Rainbow: red band: fold in half. Fold the red strip in half along its length, bottom edge up to the top edge, so it is red on both sides.
  4. Rainbow: red band: fold the legs. Fold each end down on a slant so the strip makes an arch with two legs. Fold in from the top edge, the creases sloping out and down.
  5. Rainbow: yellow band: new strip. Set the folded band aside. Take a 12.6 × 1.6 cm yellow strip, white side up, long side across.
  6. Rainbow: yellow band: fold in half. Fold it in half along its length, bottom edge up to the top edge, so it is yellow on both sides.
  7. Rainbow: yellow band: fold the legs. Fold each end down on a slant so the strip makes an arch with two legs. Fold in from the top edge, the creases sloping out and down.
  8. Rainbow: green band: new strip. Set it aside. Take a 9.9 × 1.6 cm green strip, white side up, long side across.
  9. Rainbow: green band: fold in half. Fold it in half along its length, bottom edge up to the top edge, so it is green on both sides.
  10. Rainbow: green band: fold the legs. Fold each end down on a slant so the strip makes an arch with two legs. Fold in from the top edge, the creases sloping out and down.
  11. Rainbow: blue band: new strip. Set it aside. Take a 7.1 × 1.6 cm blue strip, white side up, long side across.
  12. Rainbow: blue band: fold in half. Fold it in half along its length, bottom edge up to the top edge, so it is blue on both sides.
  13. Rainbow: blue band: fold the legs. Fold each end down on a slant so the strip makes an arch with two legs. Fold in from the top edge, the creases sloping out and down.
  14. Rainbow: clouds: first cloud. Set the blue band aside. For a little cloud, take a 4.7 × 2.2 cm white piece, long side across.
  15. Rainbow: clouds: round the corners. Fold the two top corners behind on a big slant and the two bottom corners behind just a little, to make a puffy bun.
  16. Rainbow: clouds: second cloud. Set it aside and take a second piece the same size.
  17. Rainbow: clouds: and again. Round it off just like the first one.
  18. Star 1: new sheet. Set the rainbow aside. For a star, take a 2.2 cm gold square, white side up.
  19. Star 1: corners in. Fold all four corners in to meet in the middle. It's a smaller gold square now, turned like a diamond.
  20. Star 1: points out. Fold each tip in the middle back out on a crease a quarter of the way in, so it pokes out past the edge.
  21. Star 1: turn it over. Turn it over: a smooth gold star with eight twinkly points.
  22. Star 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold another star from a 1.6 cm gold square.
  23. Star 2: corners in. Fold all four corners in to the middle.
  24. Star 2: points out. Fold the four tips back out past the edges: eight points.
  25. Star 2: turn it over. Turn it over.
  26. Star 3: new sheet. Set it aside. Fold another star from a 1.4 cm gold square.
  27. Star 3: corners in. Fold all four corners in to the middle.
  28. Star 3: points out. Fold the four tips back out past the edges: eight points.
  29. Star 3: turn it over. Turn it over.
  30. Pegasus: wing: new sheet. Set the stars aside. For the pegasus's wing, take a 6.3 × 2.5 cm pale-pink strip, pink side up, long side across.
  31. Pegasus: wing: in half. Fold the right half over onto the left half.
  32. Pegasus: wing: and again. Fold the right half over onto the left again.
  33. Pegasus: wing: once more. Fold it in half once more the same way, to a stack about 7 mm wide. Crease it hard.
  34. Pegasus: wing: cut the feathers. Round off both top corners of the stack, so its top edge is one smooth hump.
  35. Pegasus: wing: open it. Unfold the last fold.
  36. Pegasus: wing: open again. Unfold the next fold.
  37. Pegasus: wing: open flat. Unfold it flat. Eight feathers run along the top edge.
  38. Pegasus: wing: shape it. Cut the bottom right corner off on a slant up to the feathers, for the wing tip. Snip the top left corner off too, so the root is narrower.
  39. Pegasus: wing: turn it. Turn the wing so the tip points up and the feathers face back.
  40. Pegasus: new sheet. Set the wing aside. For the pegasus, take a 10.5 cm white square, turned like a diamond.
  41. Pegasus: 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.
  42. Pegasus: 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.
  43. Pegasus: open it. Unfold it back into the triangle.
  44. Pegasus: crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 2 cm left of the middle crease. This crease marks the front of the hind legs.
  45. Pegasus: open it. Unfold it again.
  46. Pegasus: neck back. Outside-reverse-fold the right end back over the body, on an upright crease 1 cm right of the middle crease. Each layer wraps round the outside.
  47. Pegasus: cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 4 cm below the top fold. Cut up both leg creases to 2 cm below the top, and straight across between them.
  48. Pegasus: cut the neck. Cut up the neck fold to 1.5 cm below the top. From there cut the neck flaps to 1 cm deep at their tip, and snip the tip off square 7 mm in.
  49. Pegasus: 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.
  50. Pegasus: snip the folds. Cut along the neck's back fold to the nose, and 7 mm down the crease at its base. Cut 3.5 cm along the top fold from the left point.
  51. Pegasus: mane out. Fold the back edge of each neck layer out, 7 mm wide at the base and tapering to nothing 2 cm from the nose, so a white mane shows.
  52. Pegasus: head back. Fold the top 2 cm of each neck layer back over the mane, on a crease from the top of the mane slanting down to the front edge.
  53. Pegasus: 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.
  54. Pegasus: 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.
  55. Pegasus: shape the rump. Cut up the tail crease from below, leaving its top 1 cm. Cut the rump from there, curving in to the back of the hind hooves. Trim the tail slimmer.
  56. Middle tower: new sheet. Set the pegasus aside. For the tallest tower, take a 9.2 × 5.6 cm pink strip, pink side up.
  57. Middle tower: sides behind. Fold the left and right edges behind to meet in the middle at the back. A slim pink tower.
  58. Middle tower: ledge down. Fold the top 1.4 cm down over the front.
  59. Middle tower: ledge up. Fold it back up on a crease 5 mm lower. The step it leaves is a stone ledge round the top of the tower.
  60. Middle roof: new sheet. Set the tower aside. For its roof, take a 5.4 cm purple square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  61. Middle roof: kite. Fold the two upper edges in to meet on the middle line: a purple kite, long point up.
  62. Middle roof: flat bottom. Fold the white bottom point behind on a level crease between the side corners. A tall, pointed cone roof.
  63. Castle wall: new sheet. Set the roof aside. For the castle wall, take a 17.8 × 11.6 cm pink piece, white side up, long side across.
  64. Castle wall: top band. Fold the top edge down 3 cm. The pink band is the top of the wall.
  65. Castle wall: sides in. Fold the left and right edges in 3.9 cm, through all layers. The white gap left under the band is the castle gate.
  66. Left tower: new sheet. Set the wall aside. Fold a corner tower the same way from a 6.8 × 10.1 cm pink strip.
  67. Left tower: sides behind. Fold both long edges behind to meet in the middle.
  68. Left tower: ledge down. Fold the top 1.4 cm down.
  69. Left tower: ledge up. Fold it back up 5 mm lower: a ledge.
  70. Left roof: new sheet. Set the tower aside. Fold its roof the same way from a 4.2 cm purple square.
  71. Left roof: kite. Fold the two upper edges in to the middle line.
  72. Left roof: flat bottom. Fold the white bottom point behind.
  73. Right tower: new sheet. Set the roof aside. Fold a corner tower the same way from a 6.8 × 10.1 cm pink strip.
  74. Right tower: sides behind. Fold both long edges behind to meet in the middle.
  75. Right tower: ledge down. Fold the top 1.4 cm down.
  76. Right tower: ledge up. Fold it back up 5 mm lower: a ledge.
  77. Right roof: new sheet. Set the tower aside. Fold its roof the same way from a 4.2 cm purple square.
  78. Right roof: kite. Fold the two upper edges in to the middle line.
  79. Right roof: flat bottom. Fold the white bottom point behind.
  80. Princess: hair: new sheet. Set the roof aside. Now the little princess, starting with her hair: a 3 cm yellow square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  81. Princess: 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.
  82. Princess: hair: flat top. Fold the white top point behind, level with the top of the side flaps.
  83. Princess: sleeves: new sheet. Set the hair aside. For puff sleeves, take a 3.2 × 1 cm pink strip, pink side up, long side across.
  84. Princess: sleeves: round the ends. Fold all four corners a little way behind, so both ends of the strip turn round and puffy.
  85. Princess: bodice: new sheet. Set the sleeves aside. For the top of her gown, take a 2.6 cm pink square, pink side up.
  86. Princess: 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.
  87. Princess: 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.
  88. Princess: head: new sheet. Set the gown aside. For her face, take a 1.8 cm skin-tone square, turned like a diamond.
  89. Princess: head: round it. Fold all four corners a little way behind to make a round face.
  90. Princess: tiara: new sheet. Set her head aside. For her tiara, take a 1.3 cm gold square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  91. Princess: tiara: fold in half. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner. The middle point stands up.
  92. Princess: tiara: side points up. Fold the left and right corners up on slants starting 2 mm either side of the middle, so they stand up as two more points.
  93. Balcony: new sheet. Set the tiara aside. For the balcony, take a 6.4 × 3 cm purple piece, white side up, long side across.
  94. Balcony: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge: a purple band.
  95. Balcony: taper it. Fold both bottom corners behind on slants, 1 cm along the bottom edge, so the balcony narrows underneath.
  96. Cloud bank: new sheet. Set the balcony aside. For the cloud bank, take a 20 × 4.5 cm white piece, long side across.
  97. Cloud bank: round it. Fold both top corners behind, 2.5 cm along each edge, so the cloud bank turns soft and round.
  98. Cloud: new sheet. Set the cloud bank aside. For a fluffy cloud's big puff, take a 12 cm white square, white side up.
  99. Cloud: big puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  100. Cloud: big puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  101. Cloud: big puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  102. Cloud: big puff: round it more. Fold just the tips of the four top corners behind. This top half will peek over the cloud, nice and round.
  103. Cloud: small puff: new sheet. Set the big puff aside. Take a second white square of the same size.
  104. Cloud: small puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  105. Cloud: small puff: corners in again. Fold the four new corners in to the middle too. Now it is a small square.
  106. Cloud: small puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  107. Cloud: small puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  108. Cloud: small puff: round it more. Fold just the tips of the four top corners behind, like you did on the big puff.
  109. Cloud: body: new sheet. Set the small puff aside. Take a third white square.
  110. Cloud: body: fold in half. Fold the top half down behind, so the top edge meets the bottom edge at the back.
  111. Cloud: body: round the corners. Fold all four corners behind: small ones at the top, bigger ones at the bottom.
  112. Cloud: new sheet. Set the cloud aside. Fold a second cloud the same way, starting from a 10.5 cm white square.
  113. Cloud: big puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  114. Cloud: big puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  115. Cloud: big puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  116. Cloud: big puff: round it more. Fold just the tips of the four top corners behind. This top half will peek over the cloud, nice and round.
  117. Cloud: small puff: new sheet. Set the big puff aside. Take a second white square of the same size.
  118. Cloud: small puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  119. Cloud: small puff: corners in again. Fold the four new corners in to the middle too. Now it is a small square.
  120. Cloud: small puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  121. Cloud: small puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  122. Cloud: small puff: round it more. Fold just the tips of the four top corners behind, like you did on the big puff.
  123. Cloud: body: new sheet. Set the small puff aside. Take a third white square.
  124. Cloud: body: fold in half. Fold the top half down behind, so the top edge meets the bottom edge at the back.
  125. Cloud: body: round the corners. Fold all four corners behind: small ones at the top, bigger ones at the bottom.
  126. Build the castle. Glue the rainbow, stars and pegasus on the sky. Add the towers, roofs and wall, the princess behind her balcony, then the clouds in front.
  127. Stand it up. Bend the sky gently towards you on the middle crease and stand the castle in the clouds up on the table.

A castle in the clouds!

Draw the princess's eyes and smile, the pegasus's eye, the gate and the balcony posts. Add white arched windows, twinkles and sparkles all over the sky.

What to fold next