how to make an origami lotus


last year at renegade modify/d was put next to migration goods / rhino fluff. we made friends. the little carries around one of her toast pins - she calls him toast brother. he's still in her bed. i knew eling was coming back out [we've since friended on instagram and twitter] and so we went to lunch - and i took her to crochet thread mecca. a few days before she was here she posted this amazing lotus on her instagram [@elingeling] and i asked her to show me how to do it. she graciously did.

and in the spirit of back-to-school... i'm going to try and show you how to make them too. this is my first HOW TO on this blog i think....

before you start you'll need 15 pieces of square paper - if you want the petals facing up to be one kind of paper and the lower petals to be another you'll need 10 for the upper petals and 5 for the lower. they can be any size. i used pieces that were 3.5" square. it might be slightly easier to use larger pieces. you don't want to use very thick or heavy paper as it will be hard to fold at the end stage.  and you'll need one rubber band. i like smaller less bulky ones. 

OK ready? here we go. 


fold a sheet in 1/2.  this is just to get you a middle line.  unfold it. 



fold each side into the middle - it's folded in thirds now. 


fold the corners down on each side so you get triangles that also meet in the middle. view 1 above. view 2 below. same stage. 



take each rectangular side and fold it toward the middle too - so it's skinnier now. same shape. repeat repeat repeat repeat until all your pieces are folded the same way. 


so now you want to put your bundles together. you'll end up with 3 pieces in each bundle. two top petals and one lower petal. this is the only semi-tricky part. you want the two top petals to fold into one another. you should be able to see all the folding you just did - it should face up. the bottom petal all the folds should be facing down. [see above]. 


so now stack your bundles of 3 - just like in the picture above. 2 top pieces stacked into one another and on top of the lower petal piece [folds facing DOWN] inside. i usually fold these little bundles immediately in 1/2 so that they stay together. see how i'm pinching the middle with my thumb? that's where i fold it.


once you have all 5 bundles line them up and hold tight. don't worry if you can't get them all even before the rubberband. you can pull them even once the rubberband is on.


get your rubberband around the middle. 


fan the pieces out around the rubberband so that they form a circle. 


here's where the fun starts. begin folding the petals. the top petals [in my case yellow] should fold up - away from the group. 


it's easier if you work every other petal area. so do both on one bundle, skip it's neighbor, do the next bundle. that's round 1. round 2 is the bundles inbetween that you skipped. then unfold and slightly fold down the lower petals [in my case the blue and white petals]. feel free to pull and push and move the petals around to get a more pleasing shape. 


VOILA. you have a lotus. string a garland. top a present?



and speaking of presents i got one recently from my dear blog friend blair. she sent me a QUILT. a gorgeous one - in exchange for an art piece. i think i got the better end of the deal. you can read all about her thoughts on making it here [it's such a treat to read all about her process]. it is SO perfect - looks amazing on our bed. i love it SO much. thank you thank you thank you !!

and i added another piece to my collection....

Comments

Christine said…
Awesome tutorial and whoa, awesome trade!!!
Kathryn said…
Ha, I think we were reading each other's blogs at the same time tonight. The flower sure looks complicated when finished but that tutorial makes it look so easy my seven year old could tackle it. And that quilt, whew, stunningly beautiful and SO you! I see many generations after you cherishing that. Lucky you!
Unknown said…
so. lucky. That quilt is gorgeous.
louise said…
I have a bookbinding workshop coming up. I only hope my instructions are as much fun to follow as yours. xolj

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