Intermediate Origami Designs: Kusudama Flower Ball & Modular Star

Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, has always been a popular craft for people of all ages. With just a few simple folds, you can create beautiful and intricate designs that are sure to impress. In this article, we will focus on two intermediate folded creations: the Origami Kusudama Flower Ball and the Origami Star (Modular). Both of these projects require a bit more skill than beginner origami but are well worth the effort.

Origami Kusudama Flower Ball

The Kusudama Flower Ball is a traditional Japanese decoration made from multiple origami flowers. These flower balls can be hung as decorations or given as gifts for special occasions.

Step-by-step instructions with images

1. Start by creating individual origami flowers. You will need 60 square pieces of paper, each measuring 7.5cm x 7.5cm (3 inches x 3 inches).
2. Fold each piece of paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
3. Fold the bottom corners up to meet at the top point of the triangle.
4. Fold the two outer flaps down so that their edges align with the bottom edge of the triangle.
5. Unfold the flaps and tuck them into the pockets created by the previous fold.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 for all 60 pieces of paper, resulting in 60 origami flowers.

Assembly tips and hanging suggestions

1. Use glue or double-sided tape to join five flower petals together at their points, forming a complete flower.
2. Continue attaching flowers together in groups of five until all 60 petals have been used, forming a total of 12 flowers.
3. Connect the flowers by gluing one petal from each adjacent flower together, creating a sphere shape.
4. Attach a string or ribbon to one of the flowers for hanging.

Origami Star (Modular)

The Origami Modular Star is a versatile and customizable design that can be used for various decorations and gifts.

Step-by-step instructions with images

1. Begin with 30 square pieces of paper, each measuring 7.5cm x 7.5cm (3 inches x 3 inches).
2. Fold the paper in half horizontally, then unfold.
3. Fold the top and bottom edges to meet at the center crease.
4. Fold the paper in half vertically, then unfold.
5. Fold the left and right edges to meet at the center crease.
6. Fold the top-left and bottom-right corners to meet at the center of the paper.
7. Fold the top-right and bottom-left corners to meet at the center, creating a star shape.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for all 30 pieces of paper.

Variations on the basic star design

1. Use different colored papers for each star module to create a multicolored star.
2. Create stars using different sized paper modules to achieve various sizes of finished stars.

Assembly tips

1. Slide two star modules together by inserting one point into the pocket of another module.
2. Continue connecting modules in this manner until all 30 are joined, forming a circular shape.
3. To finish the star, connect the first and last modules together by sliding their points into each other’s pockets.
4. Attach a string or ribbon to one of the star points for hanging if desired.

Origami is an enjoyable and rewarding craft that allows you to create beautiful decorations and gifts with just a few simple folds. With practice and patience, you can master these intermediate folded creations and impress your friends and family with your newfound skills. Happy folding!