Shapes

Abstract and geometric shapes aren't as traditional as flowers and animals, but are still very pleasing to the eye. Most models are 1-sheet but some may be made of several.

Candy boxes

Date: 01/10/2025
Model: One-sheet origami favor box
From: Sweet Paper's New Origami YouTube channel
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: 15cm various double-sided floral origami paper

Cute little boxes with a simple locking mechanism, which I stuffed with some chocolates as little gifts for friends. To keep the chocolates from bouncing around too much, I cut up some scrap paper as confetti filler.

An open box, showing some chocolate hearts nestled amongst scrap paper.

A collection of boxes using a variety of pastel floral papers.

Teardrop diamonds

Date: 11/xx/2024
From: Sweet Paper's New Origami YouTube channel
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: 6.5"x11", 7"x14", 8.5" x 17" copy paper, 7.5cm x 15cm origami paper

A variation on Sweet Paper's previous diamond models. I got carried away with larger paper and made a whole trio for display.

A "small" diamond with 6.5"x11" paper, which sits snugly in the palm of my hand.

By contrast, I basically have to grasp the bulb of the "large" diamond to hold it neatly.

A trio of diamonds arranged with the largest on the left, the smallest in the center, and the medium on the right.

Five Intersecting Polyhedra

Date: 03/11/2024
From: Jo Nakashima YouTube channel
By: Thomas Hull
Paper: 5cm x 15cm thick origami paper (6 sheets of 5 patterns)

Stand-up Maths' Matt Parker and Tested's Adam Savage recently posted a video where they talk about a particular geometric shape made from intersecting polyhedra, and procede to build it out of plastic tubing. However, they based their work on an origami model, of which multiple tutorials exist online (I went with Jo Nakashima's as I've used their site and video tutorials for numerous other models as well.) The result is a complex and intricate shape that also follows the geometry of a pentakis dodecahedron (the same shape that forms the base for most of my 30-unit kusudama models!)

Overhead view, showing the 5-pointed star arrangement that occurs on each "face" of the model.

Side view of the model, showing how the edges of some of the triangular polyhedra intersect.

Jars of Stars

Date: 1/xx/2024
From: A Constellation of Origami Polyhedra
By: John Montroll
Paper: 7.5cm various papers

These icosohedrons are made from a single sheet of paper instead of the kusudama 12-piece construction. Technically, it's just a water bomb unit with some of the sides collapsed! I gathered a bunch in some jars for a colorful, textured piece.

Jar with many different colored stars. Back view of the jar, without the jar labelling.

Jar with white stars that have colorful polkadots at the points of the stars.

Ribbon Cubes

Date: 12/xx/2023
From: Kankichi Origami YouTube channel
By: Kankichi
Paper: 7cm red, blue, green, yellow paper; blue and green paper

This neat cube uses 12 sheets of paper instead of 6, as the units form the edges instead of the sides. Different patterns can be made depending on which polarity the color and the white are folded.

Ribbon cube with primary color papers, with the color in the center of each unit.

Ribbon cube with blue and green papers, with the color on the edges of each unit.

D20 Ornaments

Date: 12/5/2023
From: Sweet Paper's New Origami YouTube channel
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: 15cm, color foil paper (2 sheets per ornament)

These neat polygon models are actually d20s! A little embroidery thread turned them into colorful ornaments for the holidays.

Mini Bouquets

Date: 11/04/2023
From: The Elegance of Origami - 高雅な折り紙
By: Miyuki Kawamura
Paper: 11.5cm paper (various colors) (5-6 sheets per model)

Cute, modular flowers. The way the inner flap is folded creates differing patterns in the center of each flower.

The "Leaf" bouquet in green, with the center flaps as a partially unfurled leaves.

The sun bouquet in orange, with the center flaps creating a spiralling pattern. It's the only 6-unit bouquet.

The "Wind" bouquet in blue, with the center flaps creating a pinwheel shape.

The "Flower 2" bouquet in purple, with the center flaps creating curled petals.

Infinity Cubes

Date: 08/xx/2023
From: Sweet Paper's New Origami YouTube channel
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: 15cm (variety of papers) (cut, 6 sheets per model)

I made a lot of these and gave away many to friends. They look very impressive (or, if you are a computer nerd, like the SGI logo.)

Infinity Cube with pastel colored floral paper

Infinity Cube with primary colored floral paper

Infinity Cubes with metallic paper (all-gold; mix of bronze, silver, black)

Four Eighths cubes

Date: 8/xx/2023
From: The Art & Science of Geometric Origami
By: Jun Maekawa
Paper: 15cm pastel patterned origami paper (6 sheets)

The unexpected gaps in this cube model make this look especially complex, even though each unit piece is very easy to make and assemble.

Diamonds

Date: 5/xx/2023
From: Origami Arrangement for Adults - 大人のための折り紙アレンジBOOK
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: Half A4, half A5-sized paper (cut lengthwise) (washi patterns)

These diamonds are secured with a little glue, since I gave them away to friends and didn't want them accidentally opening up later.

2 diamonds made with half A4 paper, held

12 diamonds made with half A5 paper

Star Box

Date: 3/xx/2023
From: Origami Arrangement for Adults - 大人のための折り紙アレンジBOOK
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: Half A4 paper (cut lengthwise) (washi patterns)

A neat little box with a hexagonal shape.

Crystals

Date: Early 2023
From: Origami Arrangement for Adults - 大人のための折り紙アレンジBOOK
By: Sweet Paper
Paper: 15cm x 7.5cm (variety of patterned origami and aurora papers)

These crystals look a lot like the crystals you get when rolling for new characters in Granblue Fantasy, so I made them based on colors of rarity (blue for R, yellow for SR, and rainbow for SSR.)

Rainbow patterned crystal, held

Blue aurora paper crystal, held

Blue clear plastic crystal, back lit. This one required tape to secure.

Crane Wreaths

Date: 12/18/2022
From: Crane Origami - 鶴のおりがみ
By: Tomoko Fuse - 布施知子
Model: Crane Wreath 3 - のし鶴のリース３
Paper: 15cm floral origami paper (8 sheets per wreath)

These cranes formed a nice wreath for the holidays, even if they're not Christmas colors.