The food is delicious, the wine is chilled, and the guests are on their way. It’s time to set the table! If you’re hosting a dinner party, why not give the place settings the same love that you gave to all the other details? Sometimes it’s the tiny extras that make a night memorable.
This summer, we’re obsessed with lobster rolls. Our lobster box makes preparing a feast easy. For extra fun, try decking out your table with these festive origami lobster.
If you’ve ever made a paper crane, this design will be easy. Just fold neatly, have confidence, and follow the steps below.
1. Start with a square sheet of paper. If you’re using origami paper, the colored side should face down.
2. Fold the paper in half to form a triangle. Press down on the fold to form a crease.
3. Fold the two corners together to form a smaller triangle. Press down on the fold to form a crease.
4. With the folded edge facing to the right, lift the top half of the triangle, open it, and press it flat, as shown.
5. Repeat on the other side. The paper should now look like a square.
6. Position your new square on the table so that the folded corner is facing up. Take the right hand corner and fold it so that the edge of the paper is aligned vertically with the center. Make a crease and unfold. Repeat with the left hand corner.
7. Take the top corner and fold it down to the center point to form a crease. Unfold.
8. Flip the square over, and repeat step 6 on the other side.
9. Lift up a flap from the bottom corner. Press the flap open and flatten it. It should fold along the creased lines that you formed in steps 7 and 8.
10. Repeat step 9 on the other sign. The paper should now be shaped like a thin diamond.
11. Take the right hand corner and open it like you’re turning the page of a book. Repeat this process on the other side. The paper will now resemble a kite with two arms at the top.
12. To form the claws of the lobster, grab one of the arms at the top. Fold the tip of the arm behind and out to the side, so that it forms a 90º angle with the centerline. Repeat with the other arm.
13. To form the pinchers, take the tip of the arm again. Fold the tip directly up and press down to flatten, as shown above.
14. Fold the long edges of the torso back, and tuck them inside of the body to form a thinner kite shape.
15. To form the shell of the lobster, lift up the bottom flap of the body. Fold pleats into the body to resemble the ridges of a lobster shell. Press down to crease, and unfold.
16. Flip the lobster over, and use scissors to cut the back flap only. Cut up to the center of the torso.
17. Fold the two newly formed flaps outward to create the bottom legs of the lobster. They should be at a 90º angle with the body.
18. Flip the lobster over again. Fold the tip of the bottom legs behind the paper so that they point directly up.
20. Use a sharpie to add eyes to your completed origami lobster, if you wish.
Create one origami lobster to set on each plate, or scatter them across the table for a festive touch.
