Origami Holiday Craft: Paper Wreath

Dec 07, 2011 No Comments by BAB Editor

BY DANIELLE TATE-STRATTON

I love to make Christmas crafts, and I think they’re even better when I can include a little bit of Japan in them for friends and family who don’t live here, so this year I decided that many of my crafts would have an origami theme. Here I’m going to share directions for making a holiday paper wreath that can be used for cards, place cards, present tags, or ornaments. A few days ago, I shared instructions for an easy card.

What you’ll need:

1. Eight strips of origami paper, cut to this size: 4cm by 8cm. If you want, you can use card stock, or other pretty paper, or even ‘up-cycle’ glossy magazine pages or the wrapping most department store items come in.

2. If you decide to use this as an ornament, you’ll need thread or ribbon and a needle to hang the wreath with.

What you’ll do:

1. Cut your paper into the appropriate strips.

2. Take one sheet of paper and fold it along the long edge, like you’re making a tall, narrow book.

3. Keeping it folded, fold it in half along the short side, so you have now made a squat, skinny book.

4. Unfold along the second ‘book’ fold and, with the open sides to the top, grasp the top left corner and fold it down to the bottom, forming a triangle. Repeat on the other side. You should end up with a shape like the one shown before.

5. Repeat with all eight pieces.

6. Take one piece and hold the points in your left hand, short side up. Notice how there are two pockets (they may be hard to see if you’ve made your creases sharp). I’ve marked them here with a blue line.

7. Still holding it in your left hand, pick up a second piece in your right hand, and keeping the short side facing towards the ceiling, poke the ends in the little pockets you’ve just found.

8. Continue adding all eight pieces until they circle back on each other (they will do this basically on their own). Tuck the final ends into the first pocket, and even out your wreath until it forms a nice circle. All you have to do now is decide how you want to use it!