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Discover Your Inner Folder: Working Origami into Your Busy Schedule
You’re a busy person and it’s not easy to find time for leisure activities. With work and family obligations, pursuing a new interest is often put on hold for “someday” no matter how appealing that interest may be. Well, “someday” is here. This book will make it possible for you to fit the exciting, fun-filled adventure of origami into your daily schedule. Simply choose the time slot that works for you—coffee break, lunchtime, or after work—and then fold amazing things from paper. You will create beautiful treasures for your home and delightful gifts for your family and friends.
This book makes learning origami a cinch for people on the go. It is a step-by-step guide written for beginners—although the intriguing projects will interest experienced origami enthusiasts as well. All of the projects are completed purely by folding and do not require the use of scissors or glue.
When I was four years old, to my delight I was introduced to origami. I was immediately fascinated and it soon became an avid interest for me. In later years, as my skills advanced, my focus widened to encompass the designing and teaching of origami. Many of my adult students told me how much they enjoyed origami and that they wished there was more time for it in their schedule. This concern and my desire to share my love for origami inspired me to write this book—which is tailored for busy people.
Enhance your folding experience by joining an origami society. A few such organizations are: OrigamiUSA, 15 West 77th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, (212) 769-5635, http://www.origami-usa.org; The British Origami Society, 2a The Chestnuts, Countesthorpe, Leicester, UK LE8 5TL, http://www.britishorigami.info; Origami Sociëteit Nederland, Postbus 24054, 3502 MB Utrecht, The Netherlands, http://www.origami-osn.nl; and Centro Diffusione Origami, Casella postale 28, 27011 Belgioioso (PV), Italy, http://www.origami-cdo.it.
Now that you have a glimpse of the adventure that awaits you—let’s begin.
—M.J.M.
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
CHAPTER 1
Getting Started
To Download the folding papers, please click here.
This book was designed with the busy person in mind. It is organized so that you can enjoy origami, even on a hectic schedule. Each of the chapters that follow includes projects that are geared to a particular span of free time that you have available in your day. For example, if you would like to make an origami creation during a short period of time, such as your coffee-break, refer to Chapter 2. For projects that you can fit into lunchtime, see Chapter 3. In Chapter 4, you will find projects that require a bit more time and are more appropriate for after work. If you are mainly interested in projects that take little time to complete, then in addition to Chapter 2, you will also be interested in Chapters 3 and 4. They include projects that have components that can be made during coffee breaks or lunch breaks—and then the completed creation may be assembled at a later time.
Each project is taught through step-by-step illustrated instructions that are simple to follow. Getting started on a project will be easy. The opening segment of the instructions for each project indicates what type of paper is required and which basic techniques you need to know. In addition, the instructions indicate the skill level required for the project. There are many beginner projects. If you are new to origami, these are the ones that you should start out with. After you complete several of them and feel comfortable with the beginner level, you will be ready for the intermediate projects.
Now, let’s focus on this chapter which prepares you for the projects. It will describe the papers that are required, all of which are readily available. You will learn about the special terms and symbols that are used in the instructions for each of the projects. In addition, you will be given some folding tips and you will learn to read the diagrams. The last section of this chapter includes short exercises on basic techniques that can be practiced during coffee-breaks.
Throughout the book, you will find information and photographs that depict attractive ways for displaying your origami. Origami is a very creative activity. Soon you will find yourself experimenting with paper choices and ideas for showing off your creations. You may even surprise yourself and invent an origami design!
SUPPLIES
Choosing paper for each origami project will be simple and fun. The instructions specify which types of paper that you will need—all of which are easily obtained. For each project you will be able to use either paper that you have around the house or, for those models specified in the book, the included folding paper. All of these materials and a few options are described below.
Bond paper is the type of paper used in photocopy machines and computer printers. A variety may be found in stores that sell office supplies. This book will refer to 20 pound bond paper as “lightweight” and 24 pound as “medium weight.” When at your local office supply store, be sure to also peek at the memo cube papers. They are conveniently packaged and suitable to use for some origami projects.
Origami paper is sold in packages of pre-cut squares. Most have a color or attractive pattern on one side and are white on the other. The sizes that will be most useful to you are six-inch and ten-inch although, in reality, these papers are a little smaller. Their exact measurements are fifteen centimeters and twenty-five centimeters respectively. Washi paper, also sold packaged, is softer and thicker than regular origami paper and has a fancier fabric-like appearance. Some origami creations, especially simple ones, can be folded and look lovely made from washi. Those that produce a movement or a noise generally do best with regular origami paper because of its ability to take crisp folds. Origami paper may be purchased at arts and crafts supply stores or from an origami supplier.
Folding paper, which is included in the back of the book for your convenience, may be used for twenty-one of the projects when indicated by the instructions. These papers are designated for certain specific projects and have patterns that complement the finished project. All of the projects that have designated folding paper may also be made from either origami paper or bond paper, as described by the paper requirements for each of those projects.
Ordinary