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How to fold an origami spinning top

Fold a blue diamond into a top with a flat crown, round shoulders and a point at the bottom, then glue a folded handle on top and paint on white stripes.

You need: A 15 cm square, blue on one side, a 2 × 8 cm brown strip, glue and a white pen. Easy, 5 steps, about 5 minutes.

Steps

  1. Body: three corners behind. Start blue side up, like a diamond. Fold the top corner behind a little way, and the left and right corners behind a bit less.
  2. Body: round the shoulders. Fold the two top corners behind on a slant, so the top has round shoulders. The bottom corner stays sharp: that's the point it spins on.
  3. Handle: new strip. Set the body aside. Take the brown strip, white side up, standing tall.
  4. Handle: fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge, to make a thin stick.
  5. Add the handle. Glue the handle behind the middle of the flat top, so most of it sticks up.

Give it a spin!

Paint two white stripes round the middle with a white pen. Make tops in lots of colours.

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