THE QUILT BOX

I have been exploring the use of connected carrier modules over the last several weeks. I have progressed from kusdamas through quilts (more later) and onwards. Here is today's experiment: a box made from connected carrier module "quilt squares".

I filled the carrier window pockets with four interleaved triangles. This gives the effect of four diamonds inside each window. I covered the connecting holes at the base with "feet". I added a strengthening and cosmetic insert to the back hinge (the lid). Finally, I added a knob on the top.

Although it looks complicated, most of the elements of this box are easy to fold and to assemble. The most difficult element are the legs, not because they are difficult to fold but because they are tricky to attach to the base.

I used different colors to emphasize the elements although I think the box would work better with fewer colors. A more sophisticated model might use gold paper for the knob and the feet.

The box is a little heavier than most because of the multiple layers of paper. On the other hand it is very sturdy.

I may change the closure technique in the next model to make it more secure. In this model the lid is tucked in between the wall sections and remains closed through friction. I would be more robust if it were folded over something on the walls of the box. I will experiment some more.

In this model there are small air holes around the edges of the lid. Perhaps I could modify the "legs" and add them around the edges of the lid. Finding a way to connect them firmly and still allow the lid to open will pose a challenge.

All the modules are from squares, with the exception of the legs which are made from half squares.

This was a "proof of concept" box along the way to making larger boxes with multiple quilt squares on each side. I have already discovered how to connect flat modules together firmly in large sheets and connect kusudamas together in a variety of angles. The main challenge in cubic 3D box construction was how to strengthen and hide the corner holes. After several failed attempts I finally came up with something that works, is relatively simple and looks decorative. Unfortunately this works on the corners of the base but not on the corners of the lid.

The technique should permit me to make rectangular box shapes as well as cubic ones like this sample. This is useful because rectangular shaped modular boxes are rare in the origami literature.

THE PAUL BACHMAN QUILT

I made this paper quilt while listening the FM Serious Music program. I have named it after the host who happened to be presenting the program when I finished it: Paul Bachman. Perhaps his colleague, Vincent Caruso will have one named after him next time.

What appropriate names these guys have. Caruso was a famous singer. There were several Bachs. Johann Sebastian Bach had two wives and 22 children. CPE Bach was one of that multitude. PDQ Bach, on the other hand, is advertised by his promoter Peter Shicklee as being the "last and also the least of Bach's sons". In spite of his exceptional pieces for four handed organists and his extraordinary compositions for rarely heard instuments, such as the left-handed sewer flue and the American Police Horn, his works are rarely heard on the FM classical music programs. A pity.

This is not any indication of favoritism on my part: they are both excellent presenters. I have had the pleasure of being entertained by the two of them while I traveled from San Francisco to Los Angeles last weekend for my annual "pilgramage" the Origami Teach-in at the Japanese Gardens in the grounds of the Long Beach campus of the University of California.

It was a very long drive since I went the scenic route: along the 101 Interstate and some back roads between it and the I5 as it came into Los Angeles over the mountains. The I5 is a much quicker road but it is rather boring for most of the way. The San Joaquin Vally, being an ancient sea bed, is quite flat. I swapped speed for beauty, and enjoyed a great deal of classical music along the way as an added bonus, thanks to Paul and Vincent. Thanks guys.

There are similarities between this paper quilt and the previous quilt and between them the flower ball kusudamas I have been creating lately. They all have "carrier" units which hold decorative units as well as provide a firm link with the connecting pieces.


The back of the quilt is interesting in its own right.

This kind of paper connection can be used to paint a picture or write a message with "paper pixels". This kind of project takes a lot of pieces and demands quite an investment of time. I have a project of this nature in mind for next November's Pacific Coast Origami Convention (PCOC). With some enlisted help from folding groups in LA, SF and San Jose, I hope to finish it before this event.

As luck will have it, PCOC is in my home city this year. It is close enough to drive there and back each day. I may need sedatives, though. The parking in SF is almost non-existent which is a problem for someone like me who cannot walk great distances. Then there is the peak period traffic density between the city of SF and the city of Danville, in the East Bay. Still, that is probably the better option than trying to take the BART there and back with a suitcase of display items accompanying me.

RED, CREAM & FAWN QUILT

I have been working on a quilt this last week. Like many of my designs, it grew out of another project. Something about the way I was connecting a kusudama set off an idea which I modified and followed.

While the model could theoretically be continued until it was huge, I stopped at a 4 x 4 quilt. By this time I was getting quite bored with the repetition involved. Now I know why I don't specialize in modulars and huge kusudamas with umpteen tiny parts.

I would rate this as an intermediate level project. The quilt is easy to fold but the flower buttons are a little tricky to slot into place. Not fiendish, just annoying. The model is very firm and will take quite a bit of handling. It will NOT fall apart.

Storing it posed a problem. What I needed for my projects were several large pizza-shaped boxes. Unfortunately you cannot buy nice blank ones anywhere unless you buy about a thousand of them at a time, pay for all the ones you don't want and for the postage as well (which is usually about as much as they charge for the boxes themselves.

I solved the problem by taking myself down to the local pizza palour, explaining the situation and asking, nicely, if I could please have 5 large pizza take out boxes with absolutely no pizzas in them. The woman helpfully found 5 such boxes, charged me a dollar and told me, on my way out, that I was not the only person who had come in looking for take out boxes for storing items. So there is an idea for others to try out.

The model is made up of several different sections. The apparently continuous background is a trick of the eye caused by some careful designing. It is achieved by inserting or connecting several red pieces to the cream and fawn pieces. One of the pieces is simply a small square which is inserted into a host piece. One piece slots inside another which hides the connections underneath. The red "button flower" was invented to hide the gaps left by the intersection pieces between the units.


I have included a "cutting diagram" which shows the number of pieces needed for a module, and their relative sizes. The one shown was made from pieces which were 6", 4.5", 4" and 2.25" (for Americans who cannot cope with decimals this translates as 6", 4-1/2", 4" and 2-1/4" respectively).







The next diagram shows the crease patterns for these pieces. Naturally, the inserted "floor" of the top unit has no creases. I have added it there to remind you that it exists. :-)


The partially completed model gives you some idea how it is constructed.

The last photo shows all the items needed to make two modules. As in my completed sample, I have exchanged the colors of the nested squares on the second module. This picture provides a little more information about how the pieces are assembled.

The large square is folded first. The four side connectors are attached next. A triangle point is inserted into a side which is then folded under. This secures the connector to the square.

The connection is strengthened when the sides of the corner squares are turned under, and again, when the smaller square, with its added red floor, is slotted into these "picture corners". The connectors are shown upside down (revealing the pre-folding pattern) as well as the right way up for insertion into the carrying square. One piece is shown connected. Another is shown ready to insert.

Finally, cover the holes at the intersection points by carefully persuading the reluctant points of the flower button to slide under the edges of the corners of the surrounding squares. Cuss if it helps. I simply use a kitchen skewer and the discarded handle piece of those plastic milk bottles.

You can sometimes find the latter implement in the bottoms of the milk refrigerator in supermarkets. If the store takes its cleaning seriously you may have to ask the store manager or the milk department to save you some. At least some of the bottles arrive at the supermarket outlet with this molded piece still attached to the handle. The store generally pokes them out because the customer cannot otherwise pick up the bottle by the handle.

TWIST BOXES UPGRADED

I have been refolding my newest boxes with good quality paper.

I discovered a white and silver light weight card paper which folds fairly easily and does not feather or crack along the creases. It is a design from a K and Company product called simply "Foil". It is bound together with heavier scrap book type paper in a collection called "Wedding Paper Pad" by Marcella. The other papers, while gorgeous, are not suitable for folding. Although I searched for this paper on the Web I was not able to find it. Damn!

The cube-shaped twist box folded very nicely in this paper. The triangle on the handle is nicely centered because there is enough friction in the paper to keep it snug.

The paper worked well for the oblique walled box as well.



The next paper I tried was a lightly embossed iridescent paper which has a darker toned reverse side with no sheen. The sheet is slightly floppy and has a plastic feel to it so I was unsure whether it would hold a crease or have sufficient body to hold its shape. It came through on both counts. It helped to score if very firmly. The paper is marketed by the Paper Company in its Iridescent range and comes in American Letter size and 12" x 12". There are several different colors. You can buy it here: http://www.papercompany.com/metallicsEmbossed.htm

THE TALL TWIST BOX

Here is the second consequence of the Tomoko Twist Tournament.

The twist is obvious this time; it is on the walls, both inside and out.


This model could really do with some good diagrams, step fold photos or a video. Perhaps I will get around to it soon. Perhaps not. There are so many other things to do - like more folding.

There are two crease patterns. The first one is sufficient for many types of paper, the second one adds extra creases which made the side walls cave in slightly instead of bowing outwards. With some types of paper this is a problem.

Once you have made the creases you will probably have some trouble getting the model together. It has to be eased up as it wants to fly open until it has been folded for a few hours and the creases "set".

The key to the whole thing is to work from the Y shaped mountain folds on opposite sides and the diagonals on the other two sides. To begin with, fold the forks of the Y only. This will produce a piece which stands up above the top of the walls. This will become the roof and handle. The stem of the Y is only folded down and across the top of the box after the four side flaps have been folded under around the box and secured. So fold them first. I use hair pins to keep the folded over side tabs from unfolding until I compete the model.

Explaining how to make the "handle" at the top is a little hard to explain in words, but I will try.

It is achieved by sliding the top triangle shaped pieces together with the pointed flaps going under the opposite piece. Then the triangles are folded down on either side. The valley crease at its base is lifted in order to do this and then pushed down again to form the handle.

The result is a lid which is not as firm as it would be if a flap from one side were folded over and into a pocket on the other side. For most purposes it is quite firm enough. The pieces want to fly upwards far more than they want to push out. If you look carefully at the photo you will see that the center of the tucked under triangle on the handle is not quite flush with the flap it is tucked under. I don't think it spoils the look of the handle too much.

I am sure that sounds like esoteric mud! Trying to explain a 3D process in words is very difficult. Be assured that I will diagram this, and a truck-load of other models on this site, just as soon as I can find time between design flights. One day I might finish the origami book I started over a year ago. If I could just stop having folding ideas that I cannot leave alone .......

























UPCOMING TRIP TO MEXICO

I am in the process of planning another trip to Mexico in August, September, October. I expect to spend most of my time in various places in Jalisco State, including Guadalajara. I would be happy to visit any folder or folding group within reasonable distance of this area. If you want to issue an invitation please leave a message here and I will reply off site.

And for my Spanish-speaking friends, permítame practicar mi español.

Estoy planeando un viaje a Mexico después de que el año escolar comienza de nuevo. Espero estar en varios lugares en Jalisco, incluida Guadalajara. Yo sería feliz de visitar cualquier grupo papiroflexia o persona en este ámbito. Por favor, deje un mensaje aquí y yo la respuesta fuera de sitio.

ANOTHER TRIANGLE WALL TWIST BOX

Once started on a mission to create something I frequently end up creating several different things as a consequence of the mental stimulation. Sometimes the connection is clear, sometimes it is subtle and other times there is no apparent connection whatever. Those cases usually arise as a folding accident or because I take time out from the challenge which is occupying me.

The Tomoko Twist Challange produced one creation which has an obvious connection to the challenge which spawned it and one which is more subtle.


We will start with the oblique triangle sided box shown here. It has obvious design similarities to the box of the last posting but the mode of construction is actually quite different.

The twist is on the floor of the box. The walls are held together by tucking the side tabs in between the wall sections. The top is covered by tucking the top tabs under the adjacent flap in a clockwise direction. The petals sandwich the flap between it and the tab underneath.

The crease pattern has some lines in muted tones. These are additional creases which may be added for thin paper or if you want the walls to be extra sturdy. They are generally not needed.

The Tomoko Twist Transformation Trials: 2

Here is a third lid for the American Letter sized Triangle Sided Twist Box. It has a small insert which matches the color of the base. The insert is made from a square sheet of paper with a width which is equal to two of the nine sections of the lid.

This lid and base confirmed that the best sizing for 20lb copy paper is American Legal size minus 1/8 inch for the base and standard American Legal size for the top. These two fit perfectly: not too tight, not too loose.


Here are the crease patterns for both parts.