How to Make Origami Windmills
Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper. It was originally brought to Japan by the Chinese, presumably around the seventh century. Over the centuries, origami evolved from being simply a practical method of folding letters to being an art in its own right. Popular shapes that can be made using origami include cranes, boats, flowers and, of course, windmills.
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Instructions
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1
Purchase origami paper, which can usually be found in larger bookstores. Origami paper is completely square and is often more delicate than regular paper to allow for easier folding.
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Fold a piece of origami paper in half lengthwise. Press your finger along the fold so that it creases. Then unfold it so that a line runs vertically through the center of the square. (Keep in mind that origami paper is a perfect square, so if you have folded it width-wise, just turn the paper so the fold is vertical.)
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3
Fold the paper again width-wise. Crease the fold and open it so that there is a line running horizontally through the paper.
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4
Take the bottom left corner of the origami paper and bring it to the top right corner. Press your fingers on the fold to form a crease. Once again, open the fold.
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Repeat Step 4, but fold the bottom right corner onto the top left corner of the origami paper. Once you have unfolded the paper, the square will have lines forming eight equal parts.
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Take the left-hand side of the square and fold it so that the left edge of the square meets the center vertical line that you created on your first fold. Leave it in place, and do the same with the right-hand side of the square as well as the top and bottom sides of the square.
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Pull out the bottom pieces of paper in the corners using the folds that you have already created. Do this to both the left and right side. When you are finished, you should have a canoe shape at the bottom of the square. Repeat this step with the top of the square. When you are done, you should have two canoes: one on top and one on bottom, opening into each other.
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Take the left corner of the bottom canoe. Fold it downward so that the point is perpendicular with the central fold that you first made. Repeat this step with the right corner of the top canoe.
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9
Affix your windmill to the wooden stick with a pin or thumbtack.
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References
- Photo Credit origami image by PaulPaladin from Fotolia.com
