As part of the privilege of test-folding models for a forthcoming book, I also had access to brilliant new designs. I decided I must fold one of these for myself:

This is “Star Virus”, a relative of “Space Virus” that I had already folded (from his previous book) waaaaay back in 2020 at the beginning of the global pandemic.

The form of this kusudama is glorious – star-shaped protuberances from a glorious faceted sphere – reminiscent of the most popular visualisation of the Covid 19 virus, I decided to fold it in royal purple and yellow because Covid is mutating all the time, and this I see as a mutation of the original in every way.

They say “if at first you don’t succeed, mutate and try again” seems to be the pandemic trajectory – this model has modules that are refined, positively lock and the whole spikey ball was such fun to fold.

Construction started off simple but got progressively more complex – modules lock with all of it’s near neighbors, insinuating layers, flaps and intertwined pockets.

I love this, another Xander Perrott spikey ball masterpiece, and adds to my collection of same a rich and lovely new member. I bought a 500 pack of Tuttle duo paper, and this is the second Perrott kusudama folded using it – more to come certainly.