How to Make an Origami Floral Globe
The proper name for a paper flower globe is kusudama. There are several types of kusudama balls, but each of them resembles a bouquet of flowers. Kusudama is a form of modular origami in which several pieces, called units, come together to make a final shape. Most kusudama have a few steps. First, fold the petals, then each flower and finally, combine each flower to make the globe. For the beginner, make a kusudama flower globe in which each unit is a flower. Make the globe using curler units that resemble curled petals.
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Instructions
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Units
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1
Fold the square in half vertically and then unfold. Fold it in half horizontally and then unfold. Turn the square so it looks like a diamond. Fold the diamond in half vertically and then unfold. Fold the diamond in half horizontally and then unfold.
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2
Turn the paper so it looks like a square and fold it in half horizontally so that the top edge meets the bottom edge. Hold the paper at the bottom at the center. Push the upper right corner so that it folds inside. Repeat with the upper left corner. You will have a triangle shape with four lower points.
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3
Place a dab of glue on the back of the right point of the top layer. Twist the point to the left and then to the right to make a curl. The point will stick up from the upper right edge. Pinch the paper together where the glue is to help it hold. Repeat with the other three points to make four curls.
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4
Make nine more units by repeating Steps 1 through 3. You will have a total of 10 units.
Assembly
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5
Place two lines of glue between two curls of one unit. One line of glue for each side and as close to the edges as possible. Insert one curl from a second unit between the curls of the first where the glue is. Press the glued edges to the curl to help it stay. You will have a row of three curls glued together.
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6
Glue a curl from a third unit between the next two curls of the first unit. One curl is the one used to glue to the second unit, and the second curl is the one next to it that has not been glued yet. Glue a curl next to the one you just glued between two curls of the second unit, including a curl that has been glued to the first and a second curl that has not yet been glued.
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7
Continue gluing units in the same manner. You are gluing four units around the first. Once complete, you have one half of the globe.
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8
Make the second half of the globe by repeating Steps 1 through 3.
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9
Glue the two halves together by spreading glue all around the bottom of one half. Line up the curls of the two halves and press them together.
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Tips & Warnings
If using paper with one colored side, begin with colored side down.
If you are having trouble getting the curls to stay glued, hold them in place with paper clips for a few minutes. Do the same when assembling the ball, if necessary.
Glue string, or ribbon, to one half of the globe before gluing the two halves together if you want to hang the finished globe.
Take care not to glue the top and bottom layer curls together. They must separate to complete the globe.
