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How to fold an origami squid

Fold a sheet in half, cut a pointed mantle, fold it into a narrow stack and snip twice: eight arms fan out. A folded triangle behind the point makes the fins.

You need: 1 sheet of A4 or Letter paper, coral on one side, a dark red square (9 cm), scissors, glue and a black pen. Medium, 12 steps, about 12 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge, coloured side out. The arms will hang from the folded edge.
  2. Cut the mantle. Cut 7.3 cm off each side. Then cut the top into a point, starting 10 cm above the folded edge on each side.
  3. Fold in half. Fold the left edge over onto the right edge.
  4. In half again. Fold the right edges over onto the left fold.
  5. And again. Fold it in half once more the same way, to a narrow stack. Crease hard.
  6. Snip the arms. Cut a long thin triangle off each bottom corner: from each side 5.8 cm up, down to the folded edge, leaving 3 mm in the middle.
  7. Open it out. Unfold the last fold.
  8. Open again. Unfold the next fold.
  9. Open flat. Unfold the last fold too. Eight arms hang from the mantle.
  10. Fins: new sheet. Set the body aside. Take the dark red square, coloured side up, turned like a diamond.
  11. Fins: fold in half. Fold the bottom corner behind, up to the top corner. A wide triangle: the fins.
  12. Glue on the fins. Glue the fins behind the top of the squid, the point of the triangle just above the point of the body. A fin pokes out on each side.

Squiggly squid!

Draw two big eyes just above the arms. Hold it by the point and jiggle it so the arms wave.

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