Origami Ornaments: The Ultimate Kusudama Book

by Lew Rozelle

Overview

Based on the design of traditional Japanese Kusudama ceremonial spheres, Origami Ornaments offers step-by-step instructions on how to create colorful paper folding decorations--from disco balls and unique cubes to lovely globe and lantern shapes--while remaining true to origami purist standards.

Featuring four basic model designs--base, joiner, clip, and hinge--that can create limitless, unique ornaments, this orgiami book offers do-it-yourself designs small enough to hang on a Christmas tree or large enough to hold aromatic potpourri. As the ornaments rest they will open gently, like flowers, but still not come apart. Additional instructions for incorporating strings and tassels, as well as suggestions for utilizing different wrapping paper colors and patterns, will make these original ornaments dazzle.

Origami Ornaments is the perfect book for holiday crafters and origami enthusiasts alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781429963633
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Publication date:	11/11/2000
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	290,735
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Lew Rozelle began folding paper at the age of nine and has been designing his own origami models since the 1960s. He is also the author of Origami Rockets and Origami in King Arthur's Court.

Lew Rozelle began folding paper at the age of nine and has been designing his own origami models since the 1960s. He is the author of several books on origami, including Origami Sailboats, Origami Rockets, and Origami Ornaments.

Read an Excerpt

Origami Ornaments

The Ultimate Kusudama Book

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By Lew Rozelle

St. Martin's Press

Copyright © 2000 Lew Rozelle
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4299-6363-3

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CHAPTER 1

Procedures

International symbols for folding paper

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Symbols

The symbols used in origami are shown at the left. They are the international language of the origami world.

A series of dashes represents a valley fold. Make a concave crease where this line appears.

A series of dots and dashes represents a mountain fold. Make a convex crease wherever this line appears.

A series of dashes with a pair of scissors indicates a cut.

Arrows will show the directions in which you make the fold: left, right, up, down, in front, behind and into. These directions have to do with the page itself. "Fold upward" means "fold toward the top of the page." "Near" is closest to you. "Far" or "behind" is away from you. There are also symbols for turning the model over and for tucking or opening a portion of the model.

Following Directions

There are three important directions given for each step in folding a model.

First, read the written instructions. "Valley-fold" tells you to make a valley fold. "Repeat steps 3-5" gives you instructions which would be difficult to convey in a drawing.

Second, look at the accompanying drawing. The drawing will show you how the model should look as each step in the folding takes place. The arrows will also help you see where to make a fold.

Third, always look ahead to the next drawing. Look to see how the model should look after a fold is made. This will also show you when you have made a mistake. You should go on folding only after you have completed the step successfully.

Procedures

There are several combinations of folds, which when combined produce a desired effect. "Reverse-fold" is a procedure which has several folding steps. These will be explained in the next few pages, before you begin folding. Remember to make each fold as precise as you can.

Paper

The ornaments in this book were designed to be made from Christmas wrapping paper. They can be made from origami paper, but you will enjoy making paper squares from the wide assortment of gift wraps. Here is how to fold and cut the gift wrap into squares that can then be folded into ornaments.

Begin with a section of gift wrap or the end on a roll. Valley-fold the edge of the paper up and align one side of the straight edges perfectly.

Hold the aligned edges together and form a crease from left to right. Keep the folded edge from wrinkling as you make the crease.

Hold down the two layers and carefully cut away the near layer using a plastic picnic knife or letter opener. Make the cut as straight as possible along the crease formed in step 2.

You now have straight edges on the bottom and sides of the paper. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the new bottom edge until you have the size needed to make a row of squares.

When you have the size you want, hold down the two layers of paper and carefully cut away the near layer using a plastic picnic knife or letter opener. Make the cut as straight as possible along the new crease.

The newly cut strip of paper can now be folded and cut into squares.

Enlarged view of the strip. Valley-fold the upper left corner down to the bottom edge. Align the edges carefully.

Mountain-fold both layers along the right edge of the near flap and align the bottom edges.

Hold down the folded edge securely and separate with the plastic knife.

Repeat steps 7-9 along the strip and discard any left-over portion which is not square.

A square of stiff cardboard will help in making the strips exactly the same size. Place the cardboard square down on the near layer before step 5 and crease the paper along the bottom edge. Complex ornaments require two different sizes of paper; you can make the correct size cardboard for the clips and joiners in the same way, with the aid of a square cardboard template.

Simple Ornaments procedures

The different folds that you will use in this section are explained in the next few pages.

Begin with a square sheet of paper. Valley-fold along the diagonal.

Unfold

Each of the drawings in this book represents a folding procedure. Follow each step carefully until you have completed a sequence. The drawing at the left shows a simple valley fold. Notice that the square is shaded; this indicates that the colored side of the paper is showing. The dashed line indicates where the fold should be made; the crease will form a valley. Try to be as precise as you can so that the edges of the paper align.

Mountain-fold along the diagonal.

Unfold.

The mountain fold is indicated by a different type of line and arrow. The paper is folded behind. The drawings sometimes show the folded result in perspective so that we can see where the paper has gone after the crease has been formed — the edges will in fact be exactly aligned.

Valley-fold the paper in half and unfold.

Valley-fold the paper in half and unfold.

Step 5 shows an arrow which indicates that the paper is folded and then unfolded.

Step 6 shows the same procedure but the paper is folded in a different direction.

Valley-fold all of the corners to the center.

Valley-fold the corners to the center and unfold.

Step 7 shows that all four corners are folded inward to the center. The completed folds are shown in step 8. When all four corners have been folded to the center, a blintz fold has been formed. Step 8 shows that the four corners are again folded to the center and unfolded.

Rotate the unit so that it looks like step 10.

Valley-fold in half along the diagonal crease.

Step 9 shows the completed folds. Step 10 begins the next sequence of folds by indicating a fold along the diagonal crease.

Enlarged View. Reverse-fold the top corner into the paper.

Step 12 shows the reverse fold in progress.

Step 11 shows an enlarged view; this makes it easier to see where to make the folds. The black triangle in step 11 indicates a reverse fold. You are going to reverse the direction of part of the existing mountain fold and move the corner of the paper inside, between the near and far layers. Step 12 shows this procedure in progress.

Reverse-fold the left corner into the paper.

The completed unit forms what is know as a Preliminary Fold.

Making the reverse fold shown in steps 11 and 12 has brought the top point down inside. Step 13 shows the completed fold and shows the notation for repeating this process on the left corner

Enlarged view of step 14.

Valley-fold the top edge of the near flap down to the crease line and unfold.

Step 15 shows the result of the folds completed so far. The configuration that has been created is called a Preliminary Fold. It is used to form the Joiners and Clips in this book. Steps 15-16 show an enlarged view and begin another type of procedure called a squash fold.

Lift the near flap toward yourself and squash-fold the top near corner along the crease formed in step 16. Watch the black dot.

Step 18 shows the squash fold in progress. Allow the flap to open out along the crease formed in step 16.

Step 17 shows the beginning of a squash fold. The flap is going to be opened symmetrically and then pressed flat. Step 18 shows this procedure in progress.

The completed squash fold. Repeat steps 16-18 behind.

This modified Preliminary Fold can be folded into a Joiner or a Clip.

The completed squash fold has flattened the near flap of step 17 onto the model. By repeating this procedure on the back of the paper (behind) you have created a unit which will find use as a Clip for making an ornament.

You will find hints throughout this book. They will appear when a suggestion may help you through a difficult procedure or when an explanation will help figure out a problem during assembly.

The Preliminary Fold shown in step 14 is used for making different variations of Clips and Joiners.

Base

Before you begin an ornament it is necessary to learn four units. The first is the foundation for all of the ornaments in this book. Steps 5 and 6 allow the parts of the ornament to be locked together without the use of glue. Although there seem to be many steps in making this simple base, every step will make the final assembly of the ornament easier and more accurate.

Begin with a square sheet of paper. Valley-fold along the diagonal and unfold.

Valley-fold in half along the other diagonal and unfold.

Blintz-fold the paper by valley-folding all the corners to the center.

Valley-fold along the diagonals and unfold.

Fold all corners to the center and unfold; then valley-fold all the corners to the creases and unfold. Turn the model over.

Valley-fold all the corners to the first creases formed in step 5 and crease hard. Unfold the paper completely.

With the colored side up, valley-fold the sides to the center.

Valley-fold the top edge to the center.

Grasp the two inner corners and gently pull them outward as far as they will go. Look ahead to step 10. Flatten the unit.

Repeat steps 8 and 9 on the bottom half.

Lift the near top left corner of the base. Open and squash-fold it down flat along the existing creases. Watch the black dot.

Step 12 shows this folding in progress. Flatten the opened flap. Repeat step 11 on the three remaining corners.

Valley-fold the central corners of the near flaps to the corners of the unit.

The completed Base has four large pockets on each side. These will be used to connect the different parts of the ornaments and hold them together.

Clip

This unit allows two bases to be joined. Steps 5 and 6 allow the parts of the ornament to be locked together without the use of glue. The first steps are the same as those for the Base and will make the final assembly of the ornament easier and more accurate.

Begin with a square sheet of paper. Valley-fold along the diagonal and unfold.

Valley-fold in half along the other diagonal and unfold.

Blintz-fold the paper by valley-folding all the corners to the center.

Blintz-fold and unfold.

Valley-fold and unfold all the corners to the creases formed in step 4 and crease hard. Turn the model over.

Valley-fold and unfold all the corners to the creases formed in step 4 and crease hard.

Mountain-fold the top to the bottom.

Valley-fold the right point down to the bottom corner and unfold.

Reverse-fold the right corner into the paper.

Step 10 shows the reverse fold in progress.

Repeat steps 8-10 on the remaining corner.

Enlarged view. Valley-fold the bottom point of the near flap up to the top.

Valley-fold the point of the lower right inner flap up to the top point and unfold.

Valley-fold the lower right flap up into the Clip.

Swing the near top layer down. Turn the model over from left to right.

Repeat steps 12-15 to complete the Clip.

The bottom flaps, front and back, are now accessible for the locking together of two bases.

Joiner

This unit allows three Bases to be joined. Steps 5 and 6 allow the parts of the ornament to be locked without glue. Every step will make the final assembly of the ornament easier and more accurate.

Begin with a square sheet of paper. Valley-fold along the diagonal and unfold.

Valley-fold in half along the other diagonal and unfold.

Blintz-fold the paper by valley-folding all the corners to the center.

Blintz-fold and unfold.

Valley-fold and unfold all the corners to the creases formed in step 4 and crease hard. Turn the model over.

Valley-fold all the corners to the creases formed in step 4 and crease hard. Unfold the paper completely.

Place the paper colored side down. Valley-fold the top and right corners to the center.

Valley-fold the the model downward in half.

Reverse-fold the left flap downward.

Valley-fold the two lower flaps upward as one, into the upper half of the unit.

Open out the Joiner and reposition so the open end is down and the central peak is up.

The Joiner is seen here in an enlarged view from the top. Valley-fold each of the side flaps to the central peak of the pyramid, and gently unfold them partway. These three side flaps allow three bases to be joined together.

The Joiner shown above forms a small pyramid or raised triangular shape when assembled as a part of an ornament. Step 11 opens the Joiner. There are small triangular flaps on the three sides. These will connect the Joiner to a Base and will allow the ornament to be assembled without glue. (The Joiner can also be folded so that the center area is concave. The folding is slightly different and will be covered later in the book.)

Hinge

This model allows two Bases to be joined. Steps 5 and 6 allow the parts of the ornament to be locked together without glue. Every step will make the final assembly of the ornament easier and more accurate.

Valley-fold the right edge over to the left edge and unfold.

Valley-fold the top edge down to the bottom edge and unfold.

Cut the paper along the crease lines formed in steps 1-2.

Valley-fold and unfold each square on the diagonals.

Enlarged view of a single square from step 4. Blintz-fold the paper by valley-folding all the corners to the center.

Blintz-fold and unfold.

Turn the model over.

Hinges are the simplest means of joining two Bases together. When you begin to make the ornaments, remember that Clips join two Bases together and add a third dimension to the ornament. When you need to join two Bases but do not want an added dimension, or when you wish to hide the joint, use a Hinge.

Lantern using a Clip.

Lantern using a Hinge.

Inserts

The use of contrasting colors and foils makes great looking ornaments. Inserts are simply small squares of paper added to Bases, Clips and Joiners to add variety to the ornaments.

Begin with a square the same size as the Hinge. Divide the paper again in the same way as the Hinge.

Fold a Base up to step 7. Place the small square from step 1 in the center of the Base and continue folding the Base with the Insert in place.

When the Base has been assembled into an ornament the Insert will be exposed.

Try to fold the Inserts from the same contrasting color paper as the Hinges, Clips, and Joiners.

Locking

All of the units lock together without glue, using the same method. If you have not done so already, make a Base, a Clip, a Joiner, and a Hinge. Label each of these units and keep the labeled set handy for reference. Try locking several modules together and unlocking them before you attempt to construct an ornament.

Slide the corner of a Hinge into one of the side pockets of a Base. Center the Hinge within the pocket.

Mountain-fold the inside right flap of the Base — the flap that contains the corner of the Hinge — along the existing creases. This will lock the two modules together. Flatten the fold and you are ready to add another module to the base.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 to lock a Joiner to the Base. The central peak of the Joiner points toward us in steps 3 and 4.

Modules can be locked and unlocked to make adjustments in the Ornament.

Now unlock the Joiner from the Base by unfolding the inner flaps.

Modules can be locked and unlocked to make adjustments in the ornament.

You may want to try using a toothpick or other small object to lift the inner flap in order to unlock the parts. A small pair of tweezers is helpful in locking and unlocking. From time to time you will find that the parts are not locked together exactly. By unlocking and adjusting the flaps, you can improve the appearance of the ornament.

String Loops and Tassels

You can fasten a string loop into a Base, Clip or Joiner in order to hang the ornament. A tassel can be added to the bottom of the ornament using the same procedures.

Tie a loop at the end of a string to hang the ornament.

Begin forming a tassel by making several loops of colored string.

Tie the string in the center with a string long enough to hang from the ornament.

Tie all the loops together close to the hanging string. Cut the loops free at the bottom of the tassel.

Tassels are easy to make and can be added to most of the ornaments.

Adding the string to an ornament is fairly simple. Begin with a Base.

Insert the end of the looped string into the side flap of a Base. Be sure that the string is next to the fold and that a small portion extends out of the flap. You may leave as much of the looped end hanging out as you wish.

Insert a Hinge into the side of the Base with the string in position, and lock the two modules together.

When the two parts are locked together the string is trapped inside the flaps and can be used to hang the ornament. This same process is used when attaching a Tassel to the ornament.

The same procedure is used when locking a Joiner onto a Base.

You may add as many tassels to an ornament as you wish. There are Lantern ornaments where you can add tassels to the sides and bottom.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Origami Ornaments by Lew Rozelle. Copyright © 2000 Lew Rozelle. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Title Page,
Introduction,
Procedures,
Simple Ornaments,
Complex Ornaments,
Designing Ornaments,
Afterword,
Internet Resources,
Copyright Page,