Folded Paper Turkey

A folded paper turkey may be next on your list of origami projects. These turkeys make a fantastic decorative item for Thanksgiving. Consider creating a few for your home.

Origami swans are similar to origami turkeys.

An origami turkey can be a great decorative item for tables during the holiday season. There are numerous ways to make them, some more difficult than others. Consider the following resources for tips on making paper turkeys.

• Origami Turkey Tutorial: This YouTube.com video shows you how to create an origami turkey. This design is quite simple and may be an ideal choice for children. Consider this project for a geometry class project during the holidays.
• Unique Origami Turkey: In this YouTube.com video, a fast moving tutorial shows the steps to making these origami birds.
• Photo Folded Turkey: This Flickr photo lineup shows the steps for making a folded turkey. This simple turkey is perfect to use as place cards or to adorn plates on Thanksgiving.
• Folded Napkin Turkey: This folded napkin turkey is outstanding. Found at Curbly.com, this turkey requires three napkins. The instructions for its creation are listed at the website.
• Money Folded Turkey: If you have a few dollars to spare, this Ehow.com article explains how to make a folded money turkey.
• Standing Paper Turkey: Unlike other turkeys, the origami turkey at Gilad Origami.com is standing. It has beautiful, ruffled feathers.

To make a basic origami turkey, follow the steps listed below. This project does require the use of two pieces of paper. Unlike traditional origami, it also requires a small cut to be in the paper.

1. Start with a square piece of origami paper. Place it in front of you in a diamond shape. Fold in half, from right corner to left corner.
2. Open the paper back up. Fold the top right edge to the centerline. Repeat this process with the other side. When completed, these folds create a kite shape.
3. Create a second set of folders similar to the first. The top, right edge comes down towards the centerline. Crease and repeat the same thing on the left side. This creates the same kite shape, but at a much smaller scale.
4. Turn the paper over, keeping the folds in place. The thinner side points up. Fold the top point down to meet the bottom point.
5. Place a finger on the straight edge. Fold the top point back up about a quarter of the way. This will eventually become the turkey's head.
6. Next, pinch the head while folding the turkey in half. It should fold right in the center of the head. You will be folding it backwards, so that the head remains sticking out.
7. Use two fingers to pull out the neck and the head from the rest of the turkey body. Simply pull straight out gently. Fold the very tip of the head down, at a 90-degree angle from the rest of the head. This creates the turkey wattle.
8. Fold the back point of the turkey back onto itself. Use a scissors to cut a small slit about half an inch in length. Place the slit about the middle of the back of the turkey. Then, unfold the backside of the turkey again.
9. To form the tail, you will need a second sheet of square paper. Pleat it in an accordion fashion, folding it back and forth on itself so that it forms a pleat. Crease well for the best results.
10. Fold the pleats tightly together. Carefully insert them through the slit made behind the turkey body. This should be a tight fit to hold the tail in place.
11. Open up the pleats in a fan shape. With a bit of careful placement, the pleats should sit upright to form the tail.

Try using a different colored piece of paper for the tail. Both sheets of paper can have decorations before or after to complete your folded paper turkey.

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