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How to fold an origami swan

A narrow kite becomes the neck, folded up over the body. Fold it in half, pull the neck and head out with outside reverse folds, then stand it on its folded bottom edge.

You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm. Hard, 10 steps, about 8 minutes.

Steps

  1. Crease the diagonal. Fold the left corner to the right corner, crease, and unfold.
  2. Make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the centre crease.
  3. Turn it over. Flip the kite over.
  4. Narrow the kite. Fold the lower edges to the centre line again, making a long thin point.
  5. Point up. Fold the long point up to the top corner. This becomes the neck.
  6. Fold in half. Mountain-fold it in half lengthwise, neck on the outside.
  7. Lay it down. Turn the model so the fold is at the bottom.
  8. Pull up the neck. Outside-reverse-fold the neck so it stands up, wrapping it around the body. Start the crease at the bottom right corner.
  9. Make the head. Outside-reverse-fold the tip of the neck so it points forward and down.
  10. Stand it up. Stand the swan on its folded bottom edge. Ease the two sides of the body a little apart at the top so it balances.

Graceful!

Set it on a table or shelf, or fold a few in different colours for a little flock.

How to display it

  1. Stand the swan on its folded bottom edge on a flat table or shelf.
  2. If it tips over, ease the two sides of the body a little further apart at the top.
  3. Pinch the neck layers together so the neck and head stay as one.
  4. Fold several in different colours for a little flock.

What to fold next