This origami lobster or shrimp is easy and fun to make. With just a little patience, you will soon have a sweet crustacean to add to your origami collection. These instructions use a pleat fold, which is simply folding the paper back on itself to form a small pleat. Anyone can make this origami lobster.

  • This origami lobster or shrimp is easy and fun to make.
  • These instructions use a pleat fold, which is simply folding the paper back on itself to form a small pleat.

First fold your square paper in half along the diagonal. Open the paper back up, with the crease going away from you vertically. Fold the left and right corner to the centre line, forming a kite shape. Fold the left and right corners to the centre line again, making a thin kite shape.

Fold down the triangle at the top. Fold it back up, making your first pleat fold. Flip the paper over and cut a small hole in the middle of the pleat you just folded. This is where the lobster's antennae will come through.

Turn the paper back over. Unfold the paper back into the "kite" formation. Cut diagonally along the edge of the left and right folds until just before the paper fold ends.

  • Fold down the triangle at the top.
  • Unfold the paper back into the "kite" formation.

Refold the lobster's body. Put the antennae through the hole. Make a pleat fold about halfway down the lobster's body. Make three more of these pleat folds going down the lobster's tail. Fold the lobster's body in half. Turn over your lobster and he's ready to swim.