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How to fold an origami unicorn meadow

A real project. Fold the reverse-folded unicorn with its white mane and golden horn, a four-band rainbow, a pink castle with pointy roofs, tulips, butterflies and a cloud. Stand it up.

You need: 29 pieces: pale blue A4, red, yellow, green, blue, white, pink, purple, light green, lilac, gold and turquoise (sizes in steps). Scissors, glue, pens.. Challenge, 108 steps, about 110 minutes.

Steps

  1. Rainbow: red band: fold in half. Start with the rainbow's red band: a 18.5 × 1.9 cm red strip, white side up, lying long. Fold it in half lengthwise, bottom edge to top edge.
  2. 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.
  3. Yellow band: new sheet. Set the red band aside. For the rainbow's yellow band, take a 15.2 × 1.9 cm yellow strip, white side up, lying long.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Green band: new sheet. Set the yellow band aside. For the green band, take a 11.9 × 1.9 cm green strip, white side up, lying long.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Blue band: new sheet. Set the green band aside. For the blue band, take a 8.6 × 1.9 cm blue strip, white side up, lying long.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. Cloud: new sheet. Set the blue band aside. For a rainbow cloud, take a 5.6 × 2.7 cm white piece.
  13. Rainbow: clouds: and again. Round it off just like the first one.
  14. Cloud: new sheet. Set the cloud aside. For the other rainbow cloud, take another 5.6 × 2.7 cm white piece.
  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. Big puff: new sheet. Set the cloud aside. For the cloud's big puff, take a 3.9 × 3.9 cm white square, white side up.
  17. Cloud: big puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  18. Cloud: big puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  19. Cloud: big puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  20. 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.
  21. Small puff: new sheet. Set the big puff aside. For its small puff, take another 3.9 × 3.9 cm white square, white side up.
  22. Cloud: small puff: corners in. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet in the middle.
  23. Cloud: small puff: corners in again. Fold the four new corners in to the middle too. Now it is a small square.
  24. Cloud: small puff: turn it over. Flip it over so the smooth side faces you.
  25. Cloud: small puff: round it. Fold each of the four corners behind, a third of the way to the middle.
  26. Cloud: small puff: round it more. Fold just the tips of the four top corners behind, like you did on the big puff.
  27. Cloud: new sheet. Set the small puff aside. For the cloud's body, take a third 3.9 × 3.9 cm white square.
  28. Cloud: body: fold in half. Fold the top half down behind, so the top edge meets the bottom edge at the back.
  29. Cloud: body: round the corners. Fold all four corners behind: small ones at the top, bigger ones at the bottom.
  30. Middle tower: new sheet. Set the cloud aside. For the middle tower, take a 3.6 × 6 cm pink strip, white side up, standing tall.
  31. Middle tower: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a pink tower.
  32. Middle tower roof: new sheet. Set the middle tower aside. For its roof, take a 3 cm purple square, white side up, as a diamond.
  33. Roof: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  34. Roof: make it pointy. Fold the side corners behind, on creases from the top point to 1.3 cm either side of the middle of the bottom edge.
  35. Left tower: new sheet. Set the middle tower roof aside. For the left tower, take a 2.4 × 4.6 cm pink strip, white side up, standing tall.
  36. Left tower: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a pink tower.
  37. Left tower roof: new sheet. Set the left tower aside. For its roof, take a 2.2 cm purple square, white side up, as a diamond.
  38. Roof: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  39. Roof: make it pointy. Fold the side corners behind, on creases from the top point to 0.8 cm either side of the middle of the bottom edge.
  40. Right tower: new sheet. Set the left tower roof aside. For the right tower, take a 2.4 × 4.6 cm pink strip, white side up, standing tall.
  41. Right tower: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a pink tower.
  42. Right tower roof: new sheet. Set the right tower aside. For its roof, take a 2.2 cm purple square, white side up, as a diamond.
  43. Roof: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  44. Roof: make it pointy. Fold the side corners behind, on creases from the top point to 0.8 cm either side of the middle of the bottom edge.
  45. Castle wall: new sheet. Set the right tower roof aside. For the castle wall, take a 4.4 × 3.5 cm pink piece, pink side up, lying long.
  46. Wall: white top. Fold the top edge down 5 mm, so a white band runs along the top of the wall.
  47. Hill: new sheet. Set the castle wall aside. For the far hill, take a 15.8 × 4 cm light green piece, green side up, lying long.
  48. Hill: round the top. Fold both top corners behind, 3 cm along each edge.
  49. Hill: round it more. Fold the four new corners behind, 1 cm each, for a smooth round hill.
  50. Meadow: new sheet. Set the hill aside. For the meadow, take a 29.7 × 9.9 cm green piece, green side up, lying long.
  51. Meadow: soft edge. Fold the top edge behind 4 mm.
  52. Stem: new sheet. Set the meadow aside. For a flower stem, take a 1 × 5 cm green strip, white side up, standing tall.
  53. Stem: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a thin green stem.
  54. Tulip: new sheet. Set the stem aside. For a tulip, take a 3.3 cm pink square, white side up, as a diamond.
  55. Tulip: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  56. Tulip: fold the left petal. Fold the left corner up and inwards so its tip sticks out a little past the left edge, about two-thirds of the way up.
  57. Tulip: fold the right petal. Do the same on the right side, mirroring the left petal.
  58. Tulip: turn it over. Flip the paper over from left to right.
  59. Stem: new sheet. Set the tulip aside. For a flower stem, take a 1 × 6 cm green strip, white side up, standing tall.
  60. Stem: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a thin green stem.
  61. Tulip: new sheet. Set the stem aside. For a tulip, take a 3.3 cm yellow square, white side up, as a diamond.
  62. Tulip: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  63. Tulip: fold the left petal. Fold the left corner up and inwards so its tip sticks out a little past the left edge, about two-thirds of the way up.
  64. Tulip: fold the right petal. Do the same on the right side, mirroring the left petal.
  65. Tulip: turn it over. Flip the paper over from left to right.
  66. Stem: new sheet. Set the tulip aside. For a flower stem, take a 1 × 4.6 cm green strip, white side up, standing tall.
  67. Stem: narrow it. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle, for a thin green stem.
  68. Tulip: new sheet. Set the stem aside. For a tulip, take a 3.3 cm purple square, white side up, as a diamond.
  69. Tulip: make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
  70. Tulip: fold the left petal. Fold the left corner up and inwards so its tip sticks out a little past the left edge, about two-thirds of the way up.
  71. Tulip: fold the right petal. Do the same on the right side, mirroring the left petal.
  72. Tulip: turn it over. Flip the paper over from left to right.
  73. Horn: new sheet. Set the tulip aside. For the unicorn's horn, take a 4.5 cm gold square, white side up, as a diamond.
  74. Unicorn: horn: fold a kite. Fold the lower left and lower right edges in to meet on the middle line.
  75. Unicorn: horn: slimmer. Fold the new side edges in to the middle again, from the bottom point, making a slim spike.
  76. Unicorn: horn: flat end. Fold the short top point behind between the side corners. Glue the layers flat.
  77. Unicorn: horn: turn it. Turn the horn round so its point aims up and to the right.
  78. Unicorn: new sheet. Set the horn aside. For the unicorn, the hard part: one 22.5 cm lilac square, white side up, as a diamond.
  79. Unicorn: fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the unicorn's back.
  80. Unicorn: 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.
  81. Unicorn: open it. Unfold it back into the triangle.
  82. Unicorn: crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 4.5 cm left of the middle crease. This crease marks the front of the hind legs.
  83. Unicorn: open it. Unfold it again.
  84. Unicorn: neck back. Outside-reverse-fold the right end back over the body, on an upright crease 2.3 cm right of the middle crease. Each layer wraps round the outside.
  85. Unicorn: cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 9 cm below the top fold. Cut up both leg creases to 3.8 cm below the top, and straight across between them.
  86. Unicorn: cut the neck. Cut up the neck fold to 3.4 cm below the top. From there cut the neck flaps to 2.3 cm deep at their tip, and snip the tip off square 1.5 cm in.
  87. Unicorn: 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.
  88. Unicorn: snip the folds. Cut along the neck's back fold to the nose, and 1.5 cm down the crease at its base. Cut 7.5 cm along the top fold from the left point.
  89. Unicorn: mane out. Fold the back edge of each neck layer out, 1.5 cm wide at the base and tapering to nothing 3.8 cm from the nose, so a white mane shows.
  90. Unicorn: head back. Fold the top 3.8 cm of each neck layer back over the mane, on a crease from the top of the mane slanting down to the front edge.
  91. Unicorn: 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.
  92. Unicorn: 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.
  93. Unicorn: shape the rump. Cut up the tail crease from below, leaving its top 2.3 cm. Cut the rump from there, curving in to the back of the hind hooves. Trim the tail slimmer.
  94. Butterfly: new sheet. Set the unicorn aside. For a butterfly, take a 3 cm pink square, white side up, as a diamond.
  95. Butterfly: make a triangle. Fold the top corner down to meet the bottom corner.
  96. Butterfly: corners down. Fold the left and right corners down to meet the bottom point.
  97. Butterfly: snip the wings free. Cut along both slanted folds, from the outer corners about three-quarters of the way to the top centre.
  98. Butterfly: wings up. Fold both flaps up and out, creasing from the end of each cut, so their points stick out to the upper left and right. These are the big wings.
  99. Butterfly: shape the little wings. Fold the bottom point behind, and the two side corners of the bottom part a little behind too.
  100. Butterfly: new sheet. Set the butterfly aside. For a butterfly, take a 3 cm turquoise square, white side up, as a diamond.
  101. Butterfly: make a triangle. Fold the top corner down to meet the bottom corner.
  102. Butterfly: corners down. Fold the left and right corners down to meet the bottom point.
  103. Butterfly: snip the wings free. Cut along both slanted folds, from the outer corners about three-quarters of the way to the top centre.
  104. Butterfly: wings up. Fold both flaps up and out, creasing from the end of each cut, so their points stick out to the upper left and right. These are the big wings.
  105. Butterfly: shape the little wings. Fold the bottom point behind, and the two side corners of the bottom part a little behind too.
  106. Sky: new sheet. Set the butterfly aside. Last, the sky: a pale blue A4 sheet, coloured side up, lying long.
  107. Build the scene. Glue the rainbow and the cloud in the sky, the castle towers, roofs and wall, the hill over the castle's foot, the meadow, the flowers, the unicorn and the butterflies.
  108. Stand it up. Bend the sky gently towards you just right of the unicorn, and stand the meadow up on the table.

Magical!

Draw the unicorn's sleepy eye and lashes, the clouds' smiles, the castle gate and windows, the butterflies' bodies and a few sparkles.

What to fold next