Tag Archives: Origami

Borigami and Origami Daze

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My friend Tilly, The Laughing Housewife, sent me this image a while ago to reveal her profound appreciation in the fine art of paper folding.

Savage Chickens

This morning, I watched an incredible Stop Motion animation, Origami Daze, by forky, via Krussell Sprout Design.

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Made with Folded Square origami papers (Contemporary colour collection)

Origami joy: Pantone colours with Folded Square

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I made these heart shaped boxes and cranes with extra effort recently. February is an auspicious month with the Chinese New Year lasting 15 days, which also coincides with Valentine’s Day, so I think the vibrant colours and the theme of love are quite appropriate.

No scissors; no glue; no mess. Only folding.

Paper:
Origami Paper, Contemporary Colour Collection, by Folded Square, a small family company specialising in unique Origami paper and modelling kits. 

Difficulty Level:
2/5 for Pop up heart box
3/5 for Origami crane heart

Instructions:
Pop up heart box by Francis Ow
Origami crane heart

I’m very particular about paper when it comes to origami, possibly bordering on an unhealthy way. A while ago, when I found out a small family company in Northumberland called Folded Square produced high quality origami paper with specially selected Pantone colours, I knew I must get hold of them. And I did.

The friendly people at Folded Square kindly sent me 2 packs of stunning origami papers. The most outstanding features of these papers are the use of Pantone colours, precision cutting and weight – 150mm (6″) precision square, 80gsm weight. The paper is sturdy and is extremely comfortable to work with.

Contemporary Colour Collection
Classic Colour Collection
Heart with a crane: Pantone colour Green 390
Heart box: Pantone colour Orange 021
Made with Folded Square origami papers (Contemporary colour collection)
Attractive colours
Environmentally friendly paper

If you care about environmental sustainability, you may be interested to know that the paper is produced in the UK from managed sources. Folded Square’s origami paper, modelling kits, inserts and spiral-boxes are Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and printed using vegetable-based ink.

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Origami Challenge: modular origami cube

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This is the latest origami gift that I’ve made.

It’s originally a cube. But when you turn the flaps up, it transforms into a starlike object.

This modular origami model is made using 6 pieces of origami paper. Japanese people would use this as a gift box, and put a small gift inside.

No scissors; no glue; no mess. Only folding.

Star-like
IMG_5974

Paper: Origami Paper, Kimono Patterns, by Tuttle Publishing.

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Instructions: see Shiho’s Craft Cafe

There’s a mathematician in my family, but this time he couldn’t quite define this shape. He called this model a concave cube, and he said it is not a stellation.

What shape is it called? Semi-stellation? If you have a mathematical term for this gorgeous model, please let me know.

Origami Paper Kimono Patterns (48 sheets), Tuttle Publishing

Origami Paper Kimono Patterns (48 sheets), Tuttle Publishing

The Language of Origami

Origami for therapy

Origami for therapy

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I’m very fond of paper. I asked for lovely origami papers for my birthday last year. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had great fun playing with different types of paper. I’ve found that paper folding is the most therapeutic activity for me, especially when a desired object is materialised. When a project fails, as it is too often unavoidable, scrunching the paper and the sound of dumping the paper into the bin can also be very satisfying.

In this post, I’m showing you a few things that I’ve made recently. No glue; no mess. Simply paper.

These are cranes — slightly different from ordinary cranes that most people make. These are fan-tail cranes. I used one two-coloured paper for each of the crane. (i.e., one colour on one side, and there’s another contrasting colour on the other side.)Fan-tail cranes (using 2 coloured paper)

Fan-tail cranes (using 2 coloured paper)
Fan-tail crane

Fan-tail crane

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometrical origami

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry

I love origami for its geometry.

I recently created 2 projects. My friend gave me a thick book of old music sheets from a charity shop. I used 4 sheets of rectangular papers to form this circle. These papers are very thin, very fragile, and this circle will disintegrate before Christmas.

I also made a 5 pointed star. It’s a modular star made up of 5 units. Origami Instructions is a brilliant website for origami learners. You can get step-by-step instructions there.

You don’t have to be ‘creative’ to be a crafter. Origami is structured, geometrical and logical. It’s my most favourite form of art.

Tea for Teachers

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I was given some exquisite Ahmad Tea last week, when I visited Ahmad Tea headquarters in Chandler’s Ford.

Ahmad Tea

Fine tea makes excellent gifts.  It’s my son Ben’s final week at the primary school, and he will wave goodbye to his innocent years. He has many teachers and helpers to thank for.

I made these gorgeous teabag holders. In both pockets, Ben placed 2 packets of Ahmad Tea.

Beautiful gifts

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How to make a stunning origami modular star with 12 units?

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Yesterday I showed you how to make elegant origami cubes, like these:

6 square papers make 1 cube.
12 square papers make 2 cubes.

Today, you can brutally dismantle the 2 cubes that you’ve just made, and turn the same 12 units into an origami stellated octahedron, like this:

Beautiful stellated octahedron: made with 12 square papers

Stellated octahedron – this is just a fancy name for a star shape.

This decorative modular star has a total of 24 faces.

There are 8 triangular pyramids. Continue reading →

How to make an elegant origami cube with 6 units?

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I made some origami with William Morris prints a few days ago: Origami joy with William Morris prints

Today I made 2 beautiful and sturdy colour cubes with the same William Morris theme.

In this post, I’ll teach you how to turn 6 square pieces of paper into a WOW origami cube.

Use 6 units to make a multi-functional cube.

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Origami joy with William Morris prints

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William Morris prints

Two William Morris’ pocket diaries from V&A museum caught my eyes at Waterstones bookstore in Winchester last Sunday.

I gasped at the price of £0.59. I would have starved for a week to buy 100 copies, but these were the only 2 left.

I kept one as my pocket diary, and carefully cut off all pages from the other copy.

Who could resist a William Morris print?

I cut each paper into a 12cm x 12cm square.

I transformed them into my favourite origami models. I remembered all the steps of these creations by heart. It was pure joy turning William Morris prints into origami cranes, boxes, Chinese vase, boat, iris, water lily, ball, butterfly, tortoise and a spinner.

I completed these models in one and a half hours.

Origami models with William Morris prints

Cranes

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Create with Paper

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Create

Last Wednesday, I made all these origami cranes on a coach trip to Wales. It was a school trip with 30 children, and I was unwinding with these cranes. (Origami paper from Muji.) I always keep a pack of origami papers in my bag.

Origami Cranes: symbol of peace

When I was putting the cranes on the  grass in the front garden to photograph them this evening, my neighbour’s lovely girl, Ffion, came over and told me she loved them. I gave her a few after I’d taken the photos. Continue reading →