Zhou Mi & Henry Support Project: Hamster Model

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QUICK LINKS: Video Tutorial . Written/Photo Tutorial .

This is for the Zhou Mi & Henry Support Project, where fans from all over the world are making 1,000 origami hamsters (for Henry) and koalas (for Zhou Mi) to show their support!

Here is an alternate origami hamster model that you can use for Henry's hamsters if (like me) you don't think the hamster models available on the Internet are cute enough. :< I don't remember what book I got it from at the moment, but I will find out tomorrow and add it in here!

Major props to doumyoujitsukas for coordinating this crazy project! Go shower her with love and affection AND ORIGAMI. ♥

The hamsters look like this:



Photo taken by Sergio @ Flickr



Video Tutorial

(Sorry the recording is so quiet!)

Written/Photo Tutorial

NOTE: If you are in a rush, making lots of them, or just lazy,
you DO NOT have to do steps 5 and 6.
You can also skip steps 14 and 15 but I wouldn't advise it—
they look a million times cuter with little feet!

01.  Begin with the colored (good) side up. Fold in half and unfold; repeat to make valley folds crosswise. Turn over. Fold and unfold twice diagonally.	02.  Press down using the creases so that it folds into a triangle shape.	03.  Fold up the lower edges of the top folds to meet at the center.
04.  Fold side corners to the center.	05.  [ OPTIONAL ] (Click the image for a larger picture.) Fold upper flaps down, aligning the edges. (Please ignore the fact that it is a different piece of paper and weirdly colored now ;_;)	06.  [ OPTIONAL ] (Click the image for a larger picture.) Fold down again and tuck the corners into the pockets.
07.  (Click the image for a larger picture.) Flip the top triangle to the left. Fold the bottom triangle on the right in half. Then fold down the flap along the middle.	08.  Flip the folds to the other side and fold the other bottom triangle the same way. (That's a pencil. It's to help you see how the folds are layered.)	09.  Turn over and fold the sides in to meet in the center. Make sure the edges are even with each other!
10.  Flip both sides and rotate 1/4 turn. It should look exactly like this. (I colored in his ears in-between steps 9 and 10 because it's cuter! And it also made it easier for you to see.)	11.  Fold back center corner into a triangle.	12.  Unfold and turn under, using the crease just formed. Turn model over and repeat on the other side.
13.  Make ears by folding a Z-fold pleat on both sides. Bend the top layer back, and then bring it forward again to make horns. Leave it that way—we'll come back to it in a minute.	14.  [ OPTIONAL ] Flip again and rotate 1/4 turn up. Make sure the horns/ears layer is on the bottom, as far as it can get from you!	15.  [ OPTIONAL ] (Click the image for a larger picture.) This is the hardest part. Fold back sides a little inside so that the corners—the ones closest to the horns/ears—stick out to make feet. You want to curve the edges.
16.  Glue the top edges together so that the ears stay together (optional). Squash fold the ears. Blow into the opening (by the nose) to even out the creases. If you didn't use glue, hold the top edge (the ears edge) together when you're puffing it up. That way it keeps its shape.

Congratulations! You are now one hamster richer ♥