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
really lovely, thanks, kathy
Posted by: kathy shay-shapiro | Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 04:03 PM
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.
Posted by: Sue | Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 05:21 PM
Thank you very much for sharing these lovely flowers ... I shall make a lot of them with my pupils (10 years old)
Posted by: Milou | Monday, November 28, 2011 at 01:41 AM
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.
Posted by: Digna | Monday, November 28, 2011 at 02:58 AM
Beautiful!!! I am saving this -- would love to make them to use on my Christmas gifts this year!! Thank you!
Posted by: Gwen Windham | Monday, November 28, 2011 at 04:44 AM
I think I will have to try this. It looks ssooooo pretty!
Posted by: MargerysDaw | Monday, November 28, 2011 at 05:40 PM
How sweet. My eldest daughter likes making things using origami. Might have to try it out. Jacinta
Posted by: embracingitall | Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Really lovely. I may try using old catalog pages that I normally throw away. This would be a fun activity to do with grandkids.
Posted by: Mary Ellen Hood | Monday, December 05, 2011 at 03:59 AM
Jättefina!
Posted by: Marianne | Monday, December 05, 2011 at 08:20 AM
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!
Posted by: krista - Poppyprint | Friday, December 16, 2011 at 05:28 AM
These are really beautiful, and if using and old book they would cost nothing. Thanks so much for sharing.
Posted by: jo Lloyd | Friday, December 16, 2011 at 06:39 AM
This is just beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.
Posted by: Robin | Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 04:12 AM
Beautiful!
Great idea! I'm working on my ornament... :)
Posted by: Gisele R. Raube | Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 06:28 PM
Ooh, these are beautiful! This is a wonderful way to use up old, torn-up books and decorate the library, too.
Posted by: Francine | Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 04:18 AM
This is beautiful. Glad I found the instruction. Looks very simple. I'll make it for my daughter's music studio. Happy New Year!
Posted by: Mally Hatch | Thursday, January 05, 2012 at 01:59 PM
Thanks, one more project to add to my bucket list.
Posted by: Acraftyrn | Friday, February 24, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Cela me fait penser aux fleurs d'anis étoilée. Je recherchai un tuto pour faire des tulipes ou roses en papier et je découvre ton blog... Vite le tuto imprimé et vite je vais en réaliser.
Merci de ce partage
Posted by: Il était temps | Tuesday, May 08, 2012 at 04:08 PM
WOW! You must be very creative and imaginative one. I have been using papers in my entire life but I was not able to think about that one.
Posted by: Jasmine White | Friday, November 23, 2012 at 02:23 PM
Great project. I'm sorry I didn't see it before the holidays. Will certainly make some for the future. Thanks for the tute!
Posted by: Sandra in the UK | Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 05:27 PM