How to Make Origami Fish Using Ribbon

Use longer, wider ribbons to create larger fish.

There are many styles of origami, the art of folding paper. Traditionally, one square piece of paper is used to create animals, flowers, insects or other decorative or useful items. However, rectangular, triangular, or even round pieces of paper can be used to make origami as well. Several pieces of paper can be cleverly folded together to form a modular origami design. Another way to create origami is with a ribbon weaving technique. In this technique, ribbons or strips of paper are folded and weaved together to create decorations, such as a fish.

Things You'll Need

• 2 strips of 1/2-inch wide by 11-inch long paper or ribbon

Instructions

1. Fold each ribbon in half, bringing one short edge to touch the other short edge. You can use whatever color ribbon you like. Two different colors create an interesting pattern. For this example, let's say we're using one black and one white ribbon.

2. Interlace the two ribbons together. They should touch at the folded corners, and form a L shape, with one ribbon resting vertically, and the other lying horizontally to the right. For this example, the black ribbon is vertical and the white ribbon is horizontal. The bottom half of the black ribbon should touch the table. Over the corner of this strip, the bottom half of the white ribbon should rest. This should be followed by the top half of the black ribbon, then the top half of the white ribbon. The two ribbons are essentially locked into each other.

3. Fold the top most black half backward and down, inserting it through the white strips, to form a loop.

4. Fold the bottom white strip to the left. Weave it over the first section of the black loop, then under the far left section of the loop. This white half now points to the left. Keep everything loose for now.

5. Weave the same black piece you've been working with upward. It folds over the white strip that points to the right, and under the white strip that points to the left.

6. Tighten the section you just wove by pulling each of the four ribbon pieces.

7. Flip the model over, left to right.

8. Weave the short white piece, which now points to the left, over the long black piece. Then, weave this same white strip under the top left black square, that's already woven.

9. Tighten the weaves.

10. Cut the remaining lengths of ribbon at an angle to create the fins.

References

• Origami Resource Center: Weave an Easy Fish
• Origamisan: Diagrams- Ribbon Folding- Fish