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915: (365/365) Chris K Palmer’s “Flower Tower”

| wonko

I have a long and terrifying “fold me” list of models I will one day get around to – this was on it:

An excruciating fractal tessellation that eats paper like few other folds, based on spiral collapses of a dodecagon that then gets turned inside out to make the next level to collapse.

The unfold and re-collapse stages (I did 3, but theoretically could keep going getting smaller and smaller) looks like it is going to hell in a handbasket, then it sort of just sorts itself out in a magic sort of way. Continue reading →

865: (315/365) 11/11/2017 Lest We Forget

| wonko

The poppy has become a symbol of remembrance, reverence and honour:

A humble flower capable of thriving in the harshest of conditions, flourishing under duress with a beautiful, if short-lived ephemeral flower. Something existential to learn here for all of us.  Continue reading →

857: (307/365) Maekawa’s One Sheet Flower Stalk

| wonko

Many origami designers have tried to pack lots of details into the one sheet. I have folded Brian Chan’s One sheet Rose many times but I like the simplicity of this flower, stem and leaves:

Using some interesting box pleating and colour management make a rather nice simple flower atop a divided stem and pair of leaves. Continue reading →

851: (301/365) Vale Vicky

| wonko

People process loss in different ways. 10 years ago a friend lost her fight with cancer and I am still saddened by the loss of such a bright and affirming soul:

While I could not bring myself to attend a memorial mass, none the less I still feel the loss. I chose to find solace in the many wonderful memories of a friend and confidante. Continue reading →

816: (266/365) Spring Solstice

| wonko

For purists, today marks the Spring Solstice, the “official” first day of spring (as per lunar cycles). 

As a member of OUSA, I was asked to participate in the “Annual Gift”, which consists of contributing a fold to be used as a Xmas tree decoration at The American Museum of Natural History. Apparently this has become something of a tradition. Continue reading →

800: (250/365) Yara Yagi’s “Menaca”

| wonko

800 new models … let that sink in … 800 things I had not folded before – wow, just wow:

I was looking around, as I do, for a model to fold today, I noticed on Fakebook that Winnie Leung from The Sydney Origami Group shared this photo-diagrammed model. Continue reading →

799: (249/365) Turning over a New Leaf

| wonko

…shows you the underside of that leaf, really:

This is Naomiki Sato’s “leaf”, a lovely green thing that is destined to be attached to stems holding up flowers. Continue reading →

794: (244/365) From little things, big things grow

| wonko

September 1 is often trotted out as the first day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere:

Purists will argue that the spring equinox is not until the 21st of September, but with the climate as it is, it has felt like spring for weeks now in Brisbane. Continue reading →

791: (241/365) Flower Tessellation

| wonko

Browsing a MiniNeo eZine that I follow, I noticed a rather interesting looking hexagonal flower and thought it worth a try:

You triangle grid a hexagon into 16ths, then put a hex twist in the middle, then add the swing-back on petals and tidy up the tessellation to make a swirl. Continue reading →

790: (240/365) Monica’s Bunch

| wonko

Asked by a colleague whether I still do rose folding commissions, I lied and said “sure”, realising this was the opportunity to learn something new:

Working my way through Naomiki Sato’s book “Rose”, I had never tried his “Simple Rose” until this point. Continue reading →

787: (237/365) Daffy Down Dilly

| wonko

Today (August 25) is Daffodil Day, daffodils being the icon associated with cancer awareness and fundraising for an eventual cure. You can get involved, donate or buy badges and sponsored bunches of flowers to show your support:

This seems to be a traditional model (sorry, I have yet to identify the designer) but is related to folds I have been exploring for a week or so based on non-squares. Continue reading →

781: (231/365) Naomiki Sato’s First Pentagonal Rose

| wonko

I am seriously attempting to perfect the “rose” form in Origami. In my mind, there is no better master of this flower than Naomiki Sato:

I bought his book (and DVD) entitled “Rose” and am determined to work though the various forms presented therein.

This is called his “first pentagonal rose” and I can see ancestor forms in the one that are also in the one I fold freehand currently. This is essentially a bud, but has a unique spiral centre and a nicely controlled twirl terminating in some lovely little petals. the base is also fully closed. Continue reading →

747: (197/365) Root Veg

| wonko

Winter is for hearty food, stews and seasonal root veg:

With such open food importing and trade however we see every vegetable and fruit available all year round. Peru grows my Asparagus, Venezuela exports my Fennel and China supplies my Carrots at the moment. Continue reading →

732: (182/365) With this Ring …

| wonko

Michael and Jane invited us to celebrate their wedding today:

We were happy to attend a lovely service at the Chapel at my work (a workplace for both in times gone past). The bride was beautiful, the groom as well. Lovely service with a reception to follow later this afternoon. Continue reading →