The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

I got a new book called The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  It's a cool story - when a kid folds an origami Yoda, and sits it on his finger like puppet, it gives good advice.

Even better, there are instructions in the back of the book to make your own finger puppet.  I made loads, then I thought bigger.

I got a sheet of A2 paper, tweaked the instructions a bit to suit my own taste, and I made a giant Origami Yoda.

Here's how...

Step 1: Fold Down

Start with the sheet of paper portrait style.

About 15cm (6 inches) from the top, fold it down and make a sharp crease.

Step 2: Start the Ears.

At the end you just folded, fold each corner over

Step 3: Continue the Ears...

Open up everything you've folded so far, and turn the corners inside out.

Step 4: Start the Robe.

About 15cm from the bottom of the paper, fold up and make a sharp crease.

Fold that flap back again, but make the crease about 2-3cm from the first one - you make a zig-zag.

Step 5: Lift Up the Robe.

Lift the bottom half up, line up the bottom edge with the top crease, and fold the paper in half.

Step 6: Fold Back

Fold the paper back from the head.

Make the crease level with the bottom of the first section you made in steps 1-3.

Step 7: Turn Over...

...and then...

Find the centre-line from the top of Yoda's head to the bottom of his robe.

Fold over one side so that the angled bit of the head end lines up with the centre-line.

Fold the other side to match.

Step 8: Finishing His Ears.

At about belly-button height, there are two loose points you can lift up.

Lift them up and fold them out as far as you can without ripping the paper.

Make sharp creases.

Step 9: Make His Head.

Lay your ruler across the head, about 7 or 8 centimetres from the top, and fold over.

Crease this really hard - you've just made his face, so it has to point the right way!

Step 10: Finishing.

Use a thick marker to draw on a simple face.

If you make Yoda in thin paper, then you've finished, but the paper I used was a bit thick, so I had to use a spot of glue to hold his face flat.  While it dried, I lay a huge catalogue on his face.

All you need to do now is find somewhere to hang him.  Mine is going to stand on the living room bookshelves for as long as I can get away with, then I'll stick it to my bedroom wall.

Step 11: Credits...

Thanks to Tom Angleberger for creating The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  Go and buy it now (that's an Amazon link, but it would be way cooler if you bought it from your local independent bookshop).

Thanks to Kiteman for taking the photos and making the thumbnail thingie.

Thanks to Kitewife for not minding me taking over the kitchen floor when she had planned to cook our tea.