Origami Squishy Tutorial: Easy Steps for Soft, Fun Shapes

Discover the delightful world of origami with our comprehensive guide to creating squishy, fun, and incredibly satisfying origami shapes. Origami squishies are a modern twist on traditional origami, resulting in plush, squeezable art that's perfect for both kids and adults. Let's dive into this creative and stress-relieving hobby with our easy-to-follow origami squishy tutorial.

Origami squishies are made by stuffing regular origami shapes with soft materials like foam, cotton, or even beans. This simple modification turns ordinary origami into squeezable, squishy masterpieces. In this tutorial, we'll guide you through creating two popular origami squishies: the squishy heart and the squishy fox. So, grab your origami paper, some stuffing material, and let's get started!

Gathering Materials and Setting Up

Before you begin, make sure you have all the necessary materials:

• Origami paper (6x6 inches or larger)
• Stuffing material (foam sheets, cotton balls, or beans)
• Scissors
• Pencil (optional, for designing patterns)

Set up a comfortable workspace with good lighting, and you're ready to create your origami squishies!

Preparing Your Origami Paper

Origami squishies require larger paper sizes than traditional origami. We recommend using 6x6 inch or larger paper for better stuffing and a more satisfying squish.

If you're using square origami paper, you can skip this step. However, if you're using rectangular paper, follow these steps to create a square:

1. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle in half again to create a smaller triangle.
3. Unfold the last fold, and you'll have a square shape.

Stuffing Your Origami Squishies

Before you start folding, decide how much stuffing you want. For a squishier result, use more stuffing. Less stuffing will result in a firmer origami squishy.

Cut your stuffing material into small pieces, making it easier to insert into your origami shapes. Keep the stuffing nearby as you'll add it throughout the folding process.

Creating Origami Squishy Shapes

Now that you're set up and have your materials ready, let's create two popular origami squishies: the squishy heart and the squishy fox.

For each shape, we'll provide a basic folding guide, followed by instructions on how to add stuffing for that squishy feel.

Squishy Heart

Start by folding a square base, then follow these steps to create a heart:

1. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle in half again to create a smaller triangle.
3. Unfold the last fold, and you'll have a square shape.
4. Fold the paper in half horizontally, then unfold.
5. Fold the paper in half vertically, then unfold.
6. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
7. Fold the triangle in half again to create a smaller triangle.
8. Fold the top two corners of the triangle to the center point.
9. Fold the bottom tip of the triangle up to meet the center point.
10. Fold the two sides of the heart inwards to create the heart shape.

Now it's time to add stuffing:

• Open the heart slightly and insert small pieces of stuffing into the top and bottom sections.
• Gently squeeze the heart to distribute the stuffing evenly.
• Add more stuffing as needed, then close the heart by pressing the sides together.

Squishy Fox

Begin with a square base, then follow these steps to create a fox:

1. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle in half again to create a smaller triangle.
3. Fold the top tip of the triangle down to the base.
4. Fold the bottom tip of the triangle up to meet the center point.
5. Fold the top two corners of the triangle to the center point.
6. Fold the bottom tip of the triangle up to meet the center point.
7. Fold the top two corners of the triangle down to create the fox's ears.
8. Fold the bottom tip of the triangle up to create the fox's snout.
9. Fold the sides of the fox inwards to create the body.

Stuffing the fox is a bit more challenging due to its shape. Here's how to do it:

• Open the fox's snout slightly and insert small pieces of stuffing.
• Gently squeeze the snout to distribute the stuffing evenly.
• Add more stuffing as needed, then close the snout by pressing the sides together.
• Repeat the process for the fox's body, stuffing it through the opening between the ears.

Congratulations! You've now created two adorable origami squishies. Display them, give them as gifts, or simply enjoy squeezing them for a stress-relieving break. Happy folding, and don't forget to explore other origami squishy designs to expand your collection!