2×1 rectangle

137: Magic Ball

| wonko

I saw this lovely bit of geometry and reasoned it was actually just a repetitive tessellation:

The folds, whilst tiresome (there are a lot of them) are not difficult if you are careful, but the collapse was a new form of torture – it took ages to get all the pleats into place, wrestling with such a flexy squirmy model was tricksey.

In the end, it is soft, pliable and great fun to play with – it has an odd material strength when stitched into a tube (via a line of stickeytape – shhhh) but then distorts and flexes in very sexy ways.

Great exercise in pleating, crimping and patience – had no idea it would take this long, but enjoyed it in a strange way

86: Bookcase

| wonko

The first box pleating exercise I ever did was this bookcase:

The whole thirds thing did my head in as a young folder, now it seems simple – I guess that with practice comes skill development – I wonder if that is a principle that would be useful in education?

I regret making this so small now, but I guess it is perfect dolls-house height, if only I had a … dolls house. A 2×1 rectangle cut from the width of an A4 page. I like how all the bits tuck away, reinforce the shape and the resultant model is so tidy. Folded from “Secrets of Origami” by Robert Harbin

67: Bloxy

| wonko

Now to celebrate International Women’s Day, I initially decided to make a woman, and stumbled across a model known as “bloxy” because she is a box pleated block-like lego lady.

I like that she has a firm bosom, bangs and is sort of free-standing (although the centre of balance is a little off because of the weight in the head – you get that).

I am hoping my feminist friends will not see this as an objectification of women as that was not intended of this … object … well … umm … Happy(?) IWD anyway.

61: Jack In the Box

| wonko

Wow, no I mean WOW!

This little beauty is a masterpiece of box pleating, designed by Max Hulme.  I was sure it had no chance of working correct as the whole working in 6ths, 12ths and quarters was a real pain on such a small scale. Made from the largest 2×1 rectangle that can be cut from an A4 page, I think next time I make it I will do it bigger and it is really fiddly with such big fingers.

This pattern was given to me by a Year 12 student years back on a Kairos rereat, and one look at it relegated it to the “yeah, maybe later” pile to try – I decided to give it a whirl first-fold today and am totally chuffed it worked.

I am amazed with the intricacy and detail – his face has ears, body is wearing a coat with sleeves, he is sitting on the most torturous but beautiful spring and most magically of all, actually folds up into a tiny neat box so the lid closes – wow!

49: Caterpillar on Leaf

| wonko

In 9 ICTE we are making a grubby movie using a caterpillar made up of head, body and tail segments, animated to do the whole wiggle thing:

students will then be put into a scene where they devastate someone’s vegie garden – nice, instructive and open ended.

This model is quite intense – one piece of paper, no cuts – unfortunately photocopy paper gave up the fight along the back of the grub, but it is demonstrative of form, critter and nicely sits on a fresh leaf contemplating lunch

… think Eric Carle’s “The very hungry Caterpillar” and you have an idea where I was going. You can have a go yourself: caterpillar_on_leaf

48: An Excavator

| wonko

I found another box-pleating model that looked cute – a digger thing with a sort of backward-facing bucket:

I like that it has caterpillarish tracks, and a nicely shaped scoop. Folded from a 2×1 rectangle folded into 12/24ths prior to collapsing, the whole 1/3rds thing is the only real stumbling point:

You an have a go also: excavator