When You Wear This, You'll Look Like a Doll(phin)

I am a nineth grader in highschool, and I was assigned to make a marine themed stage costume, for a middle schooler, out of nothing but cardboard. I was also given the assignment to make an instructable on the costume to develope my explaination skills. I chose the majestic creature of a dolphin. I had to create a bottlenose, body, dorsal fin, pelvic fin, do research on dolphins, and the various sizes of middle school children. Since I am larger than the average middle schooler, I had to adjust the sizes a bit to fit myself.
When this project is over, the costume should be able to fit a sixth grader and look somewhat like a dolphin. The limitations are that the costume must be made of 100% cardboard, meaning no glue or tape, and the costume has to be made using slot construction.

Step 1: Materials List

S1)Cardboard (60" x 40")
S2)Cardboard(48" x 24")
S3)Utility knife
S4)Cutting matt
S5)Pencil
S6)Ruler

Step 2: Step 1: Measuring the Dorsal Fin

Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and mark nine inches up from the side of the cardboard (S2).
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) mark and measure eight inches on the base of the cardboard (S2).
Using a pencil (T4) make an arc from the eight inch mark to the nine inch mark.
Using the ruler (T3) measure 1 and10/16 of an inch from the base.
Using the pencil (T4) mark 1 and10/16 of an inch up from the base and a 6/16 of an inch up from that location.
Using a ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 4 1/2 inches across from those two points.
Using a penci (T4) connect those two lines.

Step 3: 2: Cutting Out the Dorsal Fin

Place the cutting matt (T1) under the cardboard (S1)
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out the dorsal fin and the line near the base.

Step 4: Step 3: Measuring the Body

Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a large rectangle that is 59 inches long and 30 inches wide.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure in 15 1/2 inches to the left and draw a dotted line straight down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure in 22 1/2 inches from the top of the dotted line and draw another dotted line straight down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure in 15 1/2 inches from the last dotted line and draw a dotted line straight down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw six horizontal lines on the left side of the rectangle at the following locations:
1) 3 inches up from the bottom
2) 6 1/4 inches up from the bottom
3)11 inches up from the bottom
4)14 1/4 inches up from the bottom
5)18 inches up from the bottom
6)21 1/4 inches up from the bottom
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure in 2 inches from the left side of the large rectangle and draw a vertical dotted line straight down
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure in 3 1/2 inches from the left side of the large rectangle and draw a vertical dotted line straight down
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure a 9 inch circle in the center of the first and third section.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure 3 1/2 inches in from the left and right of the second section and draw a vertical line that is 4 inches long.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure 6 1/2 inches down and 1 1/4 inch in from the right of the fourth section and draw two vertical prallel lines that are 3 inches long.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure two more sets of parallel lines, with the same dimensions, that are 4 inches apart from each other.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a line that is in the center of the fourth section that is 6 1/2 inches long and 6/16 inches wide

Step 5: Step 4: Cutting Out the Body

Place the cutting matt (T1) under the cardboard (S1).
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out outer parts of the body.
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out Tabs A, B, and C.
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out corresponding tab slits.
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out armholes 1 and 2.
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out slits 1 and 2 located in the second section.
Using the utility knife (T2) cut out slit 3 located in the last section.
Using the utility knife (T2) lightly score the dotted lines.
Fold along the dotted lines.
Insert all tabs into the corresponding slits.

Step 6: Step 5: Measuring the Pelvic Fin

Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw two parallel horizontal lines that are 17 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 inches apart.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 9 1/2 inches down diagonally off the left and right side of the top line.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 7 1/2 inches down diagonally off the left and right side of the bottom line.
Using a pencil (T4) draw a dotted line from the top right line to the bottom right side.
Using a pencil (T4) draw a dotted line from the top left line to the bottom left side.

Step 7: Step 6: Cutting Out the Pelvic Fin

Place the cutting matt (T1) under the cardboard (S1).
Using the utility knife (T2) cut all of the solid lines.
Using the utility knife (T2) lightly score the dotted lines.
Fold along the dotted lines.

Step 8: Step 7: Measuring the Bottlenose

Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a rectangle that is 28 1/2 inches long and 5 1/2 inches wide.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a rectangle that is 8 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide in the bottom right hand corner of the larger rectangle.
Using the ruler (T3) measure 8 inches in from the top right hand corner of the larger rectangle.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 11 inches up.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 1 1/2 inches up on a diagonal, 1/2 inch across, and 1 1/2 inches down on a diagonal.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) do the previous steps two more times.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw an 11 inch dotted line down from every valley.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a 4 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide rectangle 4 inches down on the second valley line.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 4 1/2 inches down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 2 1/2 inches across.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw a dotted line 3 1/2 inches down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 1 1/2 inches across.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 3 1/2 inches down.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 4 1/2 inches to the right.
Using the ruler (T3) and a pencil (T4) measure and draw 3 inches down.

Step 9: Step 8: Cutting Out the Bottlenose

Place the cutting matt (T1) under the cardboard (S2).
Using the utility knife (T2) cut all of the solid lines.
Using the utility knife (T2) lightly score all of the dotted lines.
Fold along the dotted lines.
Insert all tabs into the corresponding slits.