A Christmas Origami Tutorial

I've been meaning to post this for a week now, which shows you how many things I've had to blog about! It's busy around here at the moment, and it's only going to get busier - the blog tour for the US version of Quilting: From Little Things starts on Monday so stay tuned for that and the wonderful bloggers who are going to play along.

Meantime, I thought maybe you would all like to learn how to make this:

I mean who wouldn't, right? My friend Peta showed everyone in my Wednesday night class how to do this a few weeks ago. You won't believe how easy it is, my 11 year old made this one for his teacher for Christmas.

You will need an old book or some old sheet music (or any paper suitable for origami), a piece of string or ribbon to hang it with, and a hot glue gun.

First, cut the book apart, this is easiest using using your rotary cutter. Cut the pages into squares. I used 3 1/2" squares, which resulted in a ball about 6" in diameter. 

Take a square and fold it in half on one diagonal. 

Fold an outside corner up to meet the top corner.

Repeat with the other side. 

Open the fold up along one side and press it open and flat. Fold the top of the corner back. 

Repeat with the other side.

Fold the sides in half to form a square again. 

Make 6!

Next, run some hot glue down the outside of one of the squares. Turn the other edge around to meet it and press gently, so you don't make a crease. This is one petal. Make 6.

When you have 6 petals, run the glue gun down the side of one petal, and stick another one to it, matching the creases and the bottom points. Make 3 pairs.

Run the glue gun down the side of one of the pairs and stick another one to it.

To complete the flower, run the glue gun down both side of the last pair of petals and press them into the other two pairs. Make sure that the points all meet at the bottom.

This is a completed flower. I made 12 flowers to fit into the ball. I should have taken pics of the flowers being stuck together but I didn't - however you will find that they fit together between the flowers like a puzzle, and as long as you match the points of the flowers up they will make a ball very easily.

Before you glue the last flower in, run some glue along the side from the middle out and add a piece of ribbon or string to hand thte ball from, then glue the last flower in. These are a little time consuming but totally worth it!

And THEN I thought, why wait for Christmas? These would look glorious all over the house, maybe filling a wooden bowl, or just one somewhere special..... enjoy

 

Comments

[kathy shay-shapiro]

really lovely, thanks, kathy

[Sue]

That is a really lovely flower. Thank you so much for sharing. I'll be making some this week. I'm sure your son's teacher will really appreciate what he made. I taught the kids in my year three class how to make El Ojo de Dios during the week and now they are hooked. They even know the difference between yarn and wool.

[Milou]

Thank you very much for sharing these lovely flowers ... I shall make a lot of them with my pupils (10 years old)

[Digna]

Thanks you so much Sarah dor sharing these flowers.
I will try to make one, because I think it is a different way to decorate home for Christmas.
Best regards from Barcelona.
Have a good week.

[Gwen Windham]

Beautiful!!! I am saving this -- would love to make them to use on my Christmas gifts this year!! Thank you!

[MargerysDaw]

I think I will have to try this. It looks ssooooo pretty!

[embracingitall]

How sweet. My eldest daughter likes making things using origami. Might have to try it out. Jacinta

[Mary Ellen Hood]

Really lovely. I may try using old catalog pages that I normally throw away. This would be a fun activity to do with grandkids.

[Marianne]

Jättefina!

[krista - Poppyprint]

I am devouring your book, savouring each page. I love the introductory bit and all of your advice/suggestions on working from stashed fabrics. It really is a remarkable book, Sarah. Congratulations!

I will have my resident origami folders get busy on this ornament after school today!

[jo Lloyd]

These are really beautiful, and if using and old book they would cost nothing. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Robin]

This is just beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.

[Gisele R. Raube]

Beautiful!
Great idea! I'm working on my ornament... :)

[Francine]

Ooh, these are beautiful! This is a wonderful way to use up old, torn-up books and decorate the library, too.

[Mally Hatch]

This is beautiful. Glad I found the instruction. Looks very simple. I'll make it for my daughter's music studio. Happy New Year!