OrigamiSteps

How to Make an Origami Turkey

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Let’s start folding
Finished origami turkey, showing the shape made in this tutorial

Build an origami turkey with a folded bird body and a separate accordion tail. This two-piece paper craft uses a little glue to attach the fan; it is not a single-sheet, glue-free model. Thin squares cut from printer paper work well. Keep the body folds sharp, let the glue set, and lean the finished bird against a place card for a Thanksgiving table decoration.

One fold at a time

Take your time. A neat crease makes the next fold easier.

  1. Step 1: Crease the body square

    origami turkey step 1: place the brown square white side up as a diamond; fold left point to right point, then reopen, hands visible

    Place the brown square white side up as a diamond; fold left point to right point, then reopen.

  2. Step 2: Make a kite

    origami turkey step 2: fold both upper sloping edges to the upright center crease, hands visible

    Fold both upper sloping edges to the upright center crease.

  3. Step 3: Narrow the neck

    origami turkey step 3: fold the two upper sloping edges to the center once more, hands visible

    Fold the two upper sloping edges to the center once more.

  4. Step 4: Lower the long point

    origami turkey step 4: turn the kite over and bring its long top point down to the bottom point, hands visible

    Turn the kite over and bring its long top point down to the bottom point.

  5. Step 5: Return the neck point

    origami turkey step 5: fold that point upward, leaving a narrow pleat at the bottom, hands visible

    Fold that point upward, leaving a narrow pleat at the bottom.

  6. Step 6: Close the body

    origami turkey step 6: fold the model in half behind the upright center crease, hands visible

    Fold the model in half behind the upright center crease.

  7. Step 7: Raise the neck

    origami turkey step 7: pull the narrow neck upward from the body and pinch its base to hold the angle, hands visible

    Pull the narrow neck upward from the body and pinch its base to hold the angle.

  8. Step 8: Bend a small head

    origami turkey step 8: fold the neck tip downward to make a short head and beak, hands visible

    Fold the neck tip downward to make a short head and beak.

  9. Step 9: Pleat the tail square

    origami turkey step 9: accordion-fold the orange square into equal half-inch strips, alternating forward and backward folds across the whole sheet, hands visible

    Accordion-fold the orange square into equal half-inch strips, alternating forward and backward folds across the whole sheet.

  10. Step 10: Join the fan center

    origami turkey step 10: fold the pleated stack in half; glue the two inside end panels together, hands visible

    Fold the pleated stack in half; glue the two inside end panels together.

  11. Step 11: Open the fan

    origami turkey step 11: spread the pleats into a semicircle and press the glued seam closed, hands visible

    Spread the pleats into a semicircle and press the glued seam closed.

  12. Step 12: Attach the tail

    origami turkey step 12: glue the fan behind the body; hold until set, then lean the turkey against a place card, hands visible

    Glue the fan behind the body; hold until set, then lean the turkey against a place card.

Try something else

More easy folds for your next sheet.