BASIC BOXES - SERIES ONE

This is the first in a series of boxes that have been designed as sturdy stand alone containers, insert receptacles for decorative origami wraps, or bases for pretty lids made from a different pattern.





As of today, there are ten different boxes in the Basic Boxes Series.  Each  has a different feature. I will post details of each as I complete the diagramming and instructions.





The first in the series was designed to have very strong ends.












This makes it a good insert for the Crossover Box that I posted about on this blog some time ago.  That decorative wrap requires some downward force on the top during the final part of its construction.  The original box tended to collapse which resulted in a couple of us origami enthusiasts coming up with some modifications to accommodate this.  This is an additional one. 

I will come back to this box in later months as I have designed other variations.

All variations of the box can be squashed flat.  This means that it can be sent through the mail, put in a pocket or transported in a purse or a binder for later reconstruction.

 



The simplest version is made from construction paper (12" x 9" --> 8 x 6 grid) or other material with a 4:3 ratio. This version has a single layer floor.

If you use construction paper I would recommend using high end heavy duty fade resistant alternatives. These fold much better than the cheaper versions.





The more complex versions of the pattern, made from square paper or generic oblongs, have a double layer floor.












Here are the Crease Patterns for the three versions. I recommend making the simple 8 x 6 grid one first as the others require that you pull out the second layer of floor from the side walls, and then lock the model by folding over the end walls underneath this layer.









Full instructions, with copious diagrams and photos, are available for purchase from my ETSY shop. This can be accessed from the Side Bar of this Blog.

CHECK HOLDER ENVELOPE OR LETTERFOLD

This item was designed for 24lb American Letter sized paper and meant to hold a standard American sized check.

The pattern can also be used with A4 paper, Construction Paper (typically 9 inches by 12 inches) and sturdy (kraft-based) gift wrap cut to an appropriate size.












The model looks particularly good when folded from Letterhead paper, especially one with a strong border.


 








Here is the Crease Pattern for the back of the model showing how it is folded up around the check/cheque.


 

This is a very easy pattern and is suitable for beginners, just as long as they are comfortable making a couple of "about here" folds when bringing in the side flaps and they can turn back a flap so that the gap between it and the crease it is lined up with is just a little over the thickness of the paper.









Full instructions, diagrams, photos and other images can be purchased at a very reasonable cost from my ETSY shop. See the side bar for a link.

FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY WALLETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

Over the years I have had many requests for diagrams and instructions to fold the wallet that is pictured on the Header for this site. Well all that whinging has finally paid off. Yesterday I uploaded PDF instruction files for this Wallet Pouch and the simpler Catera Wallet to my ETSY shop. You can find a link to that shop on the side bar. One of my customers has already succeeded in folding the Catera Wallet and sent this lovely photo. Well done, maohare!

WELCOME TO BERRY GOODIES

After a long break, dealing with health and other personal issues, "Creative Creasings" is back on active duty again.

 As usual, new models displayed on these pages will be accompanied by a basic crease pattern image for which there is, of course, no charge.  That is my continuing gift to the expert origami community.  Not everyone can make these items from this sparse information, especially when the construction is less than straight forward.  Many of you have asked for detailed instructions but, as you know, these are quite time consuming to prepare, and sometimes fiendishly difficult to illustrate in a flat 2-D format.  I have, however, been working on this task.   I expect it will take a couple of years before I can diagram every model that I have posted here, but I have managed to make some progress, especially on my newer models.

The first batch of fully illustrated and diagrammed instructions are now available.  You will find them at my new ETSY shop (Berry Goodies) where you can download them almost instantly.  Just click on the ETSY button in the side panel to the left of this text box.

This will cost you a token amount that will help cover some of the expenses involved in developing models, photographing them, diagramming them, listing them on ETSY and, of course, the cost of maintaining an active internet connection.   Some of them (like the 48 page booklet on Diamond Lock letter folds) are quite a bargain compared with comparable material sold on Amazon.  When I have more models available I will start to offer pick-and-choose combinations that will let you make your own book with just the designs you prefer for a lot less than it costs to buy the designs individually. 

I began the process by diagramming my Letter Fold Series of which there are 20 distinct types.  All the Instant Downloads available on the Berry Goodies site (except for the Free Gift) are from this series.  So far, just under half of them have been uploaded.  The rest will be arrive on the site as they are completed.   Then I will begin work on other and older models. 

Here is a LIST OF AVAILABLE ORIGAMI INSTRUCTIONS at Berry Goodies right now.  Enjoy!

 
Diagonal Slash Letter Fold - 5 pages

Central Square Letter Fold - 6 pages

Loan Diamond Letter Fold and Variants - 7 pages

Heart Letter Fold - 4 pages

Bow Tie Letter Fold - 5 pages

Pentagonal Letter Fold - 6 pages













Central Cross Letter Folds - 10 pages

Diamond Lock Letter Folds (lots of them) - 48 pages

WALLET LETTER FOLD

Today we continue with more letter folds.  

I've called this one the Wallet Letter Fold because it has similarities to one of my origami wallets.  Unlike the real wallet, this fold does not have sides;  it is for letters only.

 The model is based on squares with sides that are equivalent to a quarter of the width of the paper.  There are two rows of these at the "bottom" of the sheet, and two rows of them at the "top" of the sheet.  The creases that don't fit this pattern (marked in orange and green instead of red and blue) are made in the last couple of steps when the model is folded in half.  They occur because, as you may have figured out by now, you are working with paper that is rectangular and not the traditional origami square.  

To help you figure out how this folds up, here is a diagram from my instruction sheet (which will you will be able to buy from my Etsy Shop very, very soon). 

You are not restricted to using standard letter sheets or letter head.  You can use any sheet of paper that has at least one side that you can write, print or draw on.   The examples shown at the beginning of this entry show letterhead paper (left), sturdy wrapping paper (not the thin stuff that crumples and cracks) (top) and wallpaper - the kind that is not pre-pasted and is crisp enough to hold a crease (right).  

 Nor are you restricted to writing letters on your carefully folded sheets.  You can use these letter folds for paper that contains recipes, instructions, poems, drawings, paintings, music manuscript, graphs, formulae, puzzles, and so much more.  Be creative! 

CENTRAL CROSS LETTERFOLDS

These letter folds are almost identical.  They have different additional crease patterns with the easier version having a lot more of them.





Here is the easier version (Type One).

The angled flaps are derived by folding a diagonal from the edges of the outside columns and then reflecting a marker crease from the orthogonal direction.

And here is the cleaner but slightly more difficult version (Type Two). 

This time the angled flaps are derived from diagonals that are creased between sections that are an eighth of the overall height or width.  To that end the pre-creasing divides the sheet into eight in both directions.




















Since publishing this blog I discovered that this design was first invented by Romie Halabaso from the Philippines.  The diagrams and crease pattern do not appear to be in the public domain so I cannot tell whether our patterns are identical or not.

You will find Romie's letter fold here:
http://www.origami-resource-center.com/letter-envelope.html

OFFSET X LETTERFOLD

This model has two versions with a couple of slightly different folding methods for the first one.  They look very similar and they are all simple to fold.

The main difference is in the the length and angle of the offset flaps, and the secondary difference is the pattern of crease marks on the front and back of the folded letter.



VERSION ONE (Wide offset flaps).

This version has flaps that come more than half way across their quarter square. The front of the letter has additional creases on the diagonals but none on the back.

This alternative crease pattern has a slightly different way of deriving the creases for the tuck-under flaps.  The result looks the same from the front but there is an X crease pattern on the back.  It is only minimally easier to fold.

Take your pick. Use whatever floats your boat.







VERSION TWO (Narrower offset flaps)

This is the easiest version to fold.  The flap is exactly half of the width of its square and the slope is therefore steeper than Version 1.  The detraction is that it has a busier pattern of creased squares on the front. 

SIMPLE X LETTERFOLD

This is a plain and simple fold.  It lends itself well to letter head paper with a contrasting border which becomes the focal point of the folding. 

It looks like a standard oblong envelope.  It it were not for the diagonal edges, that could catch on sorting machinery,  you could send this letter fold through the standard mail system. 

If you really want to do this then I suggest that you pack it inside a standard envelope. 

Alternatively you could make a transparent one with Gorilla Glue and clear Grafix Dura-Lar, Dura-Lar is an acetate alternative that holds a crease, unlike many other plastic type materials. Unlike acetate, it does not crack, tear or chip.  It is wonderful stuff for origami enthusiasts. If you live in the United States, you can buy small amounts from Dick Blick stores or larger amounts directly from the Grafix web site.  I imagine there are similar materials available in other countries.

Pre-crease you model before folding.  Then follow the directions for collapsing it.  If you start where indicated you will have a much easier time tucking the last corner under the adjacent folds. 

There are few more tricks which improve accuracy and ease of folding.  These are shared in the full set of diagrammed instructions which is now ready.  If you are a seasoned folder you will most likely discover them for yourself as you try out the model.