Monday, March 15, 2010

How to Make a Goldfish with Red Packets 红包金鱼

Ang Bao Goldfish is another auspicious item the Chinese loves to decorate their house with during Chinese New Year. It symbolises with the chinese phrase "年年有余", meaning having abundance or left over profit every year.

Here is a video I found on YouTube on how to make a goldfish using only 6 red packets and only 2 folding methods.

Never mind the video is spoken in Cantonese, I have translated the important things to note below, read my notes and follow what the demonstrator does in the video, you'll be able to make a beautiful goldfish with just 6 red packets for yourself.

Notes:
The 1st folding method
At 0:23, when you fold the edges leave a little gap from the center grid line.
At 0:35, fold the edges fully to the centre grid line for the other side.
At 0:45, a complete folded red packet, make 3 with this 1st folding method.

At 0:49, the video demonstrated the 2nd folding method, use 3 red packets to form a fish tail.
At 1:47, pick the side when you leave a gap to staple. This would be the fish mouth.
At 2:20, do not cut on the grid line with your scissor, leave a little space. You'd need 4 pieces of triangles to make the fins at 3:42