“TURKEY, n. A large bird that, when eaten on certain religious anniversaries, has the unusual quality of attesting piety and gratitude. It also happens to make pretty good food. ”.
Some of the models I write about here are old favourites that I come back to and share. Some of them are designs I’ve just come across and think ‘I have to make this’. I have two lists: one of models I want to fold, and another of things I want to post on this blog at some point.
But sometimes, when I’m randomly flipping through my collection of origami books, I come across a design and think, “Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” ” That’s what happened last week. I stumbled across this origami Turkey by Gen Hagiwara and thought I’d give it a go.
I think Gen Hagiwara did a fine job with this design. The shape of the head makes it instantly recognizable as a turkey. While the tail is similar to the origami peacock it still works well with the model.
Yes, it’s probably the perfect origami model for Thanksgiving, but I didn’t feel like waiting. Keep this post handy come November, and then make a few origami turkeys to use as table decorations. There is also this “origami-inspired” turkey folded out of napkins, that could work well.
This Thanksgiving, reduce stress and embrace the joy of creativity with your children by creating these adorable paper turkeys! Get ready to gobble up some fun! They will not only give your Thanksgiving décor a festive touch, but they will also keep your kids occupied for hours on end.
What you’ll need:
- A square piece of paper (origami paper works best, but any square paper will do)
- Glue (optional, but helpful for securing the tail feathers)
Let’s get folding!
- Start with your square paper. Fold it in half, creating a crease down the middle. Unfold it.
- Fold both sides of the paper inward, aligning the edges with the center crease. You’ve now created a rectangle.
- Fold the top two corners inward, aligning the top edge with the center crease. This forms a triangle shape.
- Fold the top diagonal sides inward, again aligning them with the center crease. Your triangle is getting sharper!
- Flip the entire pattern to the other side. You’re now looking at the back of the triangle.
- Fold the pattern in half. This creates a smaller triangle.
- Unfold the last fold. You’ll see the crease from step 5.
- Make accordion folds along the square part of the pattern. Stop at the crease from step 5. This is the turkey’s tail! If you need a refresher on accordion folds, check out the origami maple leaf tutorial on Mombrite for more detailed instructions.
- Carefully hold the pattern and make a 1 cm fold on the pointy side. This will be the turkey’s beak.
- Fold the rest of the triangular part of the pattern in half. This forms the turkey’s head.
- Flip the whole pattern over to the other side. You’re back to looking at the front.
- Take the bottom part of the triangular portion (beneath the fold in step #10) and fold it in half. This creates the turkey’s wattle.
- Now, the fun part! Apply glue along the bottom side of the accordion-folded part of the pattern. Fold the pattern in half backward by folding the open end of the accordion-folded part and joining the two halves together. This creates the turkey’s body.
- Hold the outer edge of the accordion-folded part and carefully draw it upwards. Hold the rest of the pattern firmly. This opens up the tail feathers, giving your turkey its majestic fan.
- If the back of the turkey is too heavy and keeps falling backward, don’t fret! You can use a block (a LEGO, an eraser, anything you have handy) to prop up the tail feathers. You can also lean the turkey against the wall or other Thanksgiving decorations.
And there you have it! Your very own origami turkey, ready to add a touch of whimsy to your Thanksgiving celebrations. Your kids will be so proud of their creations, and your guests will be delighted by these adorable paper birds adorning your table.
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. Looking for more Thanksgiving-themed fun? Check out Mombrite’s other Thanksgiving crafts, like the easy origami pumpkin and the paper hat. You’ll find plenty of ideas to keep your kids entertained and engaged throughout the holiday season.
Diagrams for Gen Hagiwara’s Turkey
The instructions for creating this origami turkey are found in Gen Hagiwara’s book Spirits of Origami, which is available from Origami-shop. com here. I have to admit that I’ve had fun folding several of the models in this book, such as several kangaroos and a snake. The models are varied, the diagrams are clear and the folding sequences are logical and easy to understand. There are a few more in this book that I’ll get around eventually. Possibly next time I’m browsing through my origami books, looking for some inspiration.
I’d love to hear your views on this 3D origami turkey. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below, or you find can me on Instagram or Twitter. Check out my Pinterest boards too!
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If you enjoyed this post, here are some more to check out:
Since he was eight years old, Russell, the author of the book Origami Made Simple, has been folding origami. He is on the Council for the British Origami Society and a member of OrigamiUSA. When he is not folding, he enjoys photography and traveling.
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Folding the Origami Turkey
This is an intermediate level design. Other than having to navigate one open and one closed sink, folding this model is not too tough. Hagiwara recommends a 20cm square sheet of yohishi, washi, or biotope paper.
I’ve made this one out of 24cm red and black Thai paper I picked up from Origami-shop.com here. Oddly, all the dimensions of this Turkey are the same. It is 9cm (3.5in) long, the width is similar, and the height is roughly the same as the length. There are 53 steps to this model and it took me about 20 minutes to fold.
If you want to fold an easy origami turkey, try this model designed by Margaret Van Sicklen.
How To Fold An Origami Turkey
FAQ
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