A windsock is the rare paper craft that keeps doing something after you finish it. Hang one up and it fills with air, spins a little and tells you which way the wind is going - which is why airports and boatyards use them, and why a paper version makes such a good project for a breezy afternoon.

This one is folded from a single square, but be warned: unlike most origami here, it is not a pure-folding model. You will need scissors for the fringe along the bottom edge and a glue stick to close the seam. Nine steps, easy difficulty. Keep the fringe strips roughly the same width, give the glued overlap a moment to set, then hang it from a thread and watch it go.

STEP 1

Fold the paper in half along the dotted line.

STEP 2

Fold it in half again.

STEP 3

Fold it in half along the dotted line and make a crease.

STEP 4

Make creases along the dotted lines so that the top and bottom edges line up with the crease.

STEP 5

Cut along the white lines with scissors.

STEP 6

Unfold the paper.

STEP 7

Make cuts in the fold lines that do not have cuts yet.

STEP 8

Apply glue to one end, roll the paper into a cylinder and attach it to the other end.

STEP 9

The windsock is complete.