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How to fold an origami hopping sparrow

Two strips cut free under the belly hang down as legs while the pieces beside them fold up as pale feathers. Pleats cock the tail and bow the head.

You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm, brown on one side; scissors and a black pen. Hard, 16 steps, about 30 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. White side up, turned like a diamond. Fold the right corner over onto the left corner.
  2. Crease the legs. Fold the long folded edge over 7 mm, through both layers, and crease hard.
  3. Open it. Unfold that narrow strip again.
  4. Open flat. Open the sheet flat, white side up. Three upright creases now run down the middle.
  5. Half a kite. Fold the lower-left edge up so it lies along the line between the left and right corners.
  6. Fold in half. Fold the top corner down onto the bottom corner, the flap inside. The long fold on top is the back.
  7. Crease the belly. Fold the front layer's bottom point up on a crease from the left point to the right edge, 2.9 cm above the bottom point.
  8. Open it. Unfold it again. The crease is the bottom of the belly.
  9. Free the legs. Cut the front layer up its three upright creases, from the bottom edge to the belly crease. The two strips by the middle are the legs.
  10. Pale feathers. Fold the front layer's pieces either side of the legs up along the belly crease. Their white side shows as pale feathers.
  11. Blunt the tail. Fold the tail point behind on an upright crease 2.7 cm from the tip.
  12. Tail: fold in. Fold the tail over to the right on a crease from the belly crease, 5 cm behind the legs, leaning a little to the left.
  13. Tail: fold out. Fold it back to the left from the same point, on a crease that stands straighter. The tail now cocks up.
  14. Head: fold in. Fold the right point over to the left on a crease from the back, 5 cm from the point, slanting down to the throat.
  15. Head: fold out. Fold it back to the right from the same point, on a crease that slants less. The round head bows and the beak points ahead.
  16. Ready to hop. Tilt the sparrow a little so its head rises and its legs push off.

Cheep, hop!

Draw a black eye on the head and colour the beak tip dark. Add a few dark streaks along the back.

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