Origami Money Lei Instructions
Leis are made and given in Hawaii as symbols of esteem for birthdays, luaus, funerals, marriages, graduations and a variety of informal occasions. Early Hawaiians and other Polynesian cultures created leis from feathers, shells, bones, flowers and vines. The Hawaiian money lei is used to give a gift of money while adding a personal touch. Although it takes hundreds of dollar bills to complete a full money lei, a cheaper gift can be made by replacing some of the bills with folded origami paper.
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Cut 100 6-inch long pieces of ¼-inch ribbon.
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2
Fold a dollar bill in half lengthwise and reopen the fold.
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3
Fold the bill back and forth, like an accordion, using ¼-inch folds down the length of the bill. Crease the folds well as you go.
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4
Tie one piece of 6-inch long ribbon around the center of the still accordion-folded dollar bill using a double knot.
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5
Repeat the folding and tying process with all 100 bills.
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6
Drape the remaining ribbon around your neck to measure the length of the lei. Add 12 inches of extra ribbon to allow the lei to be tied together. Ensure the ribbon is long enough that the money lei can be slipped on over your head without being untied.
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7
Fan out the folds of the dollar bills that are tied in the center with ribbons.
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8
Tie the fanned out dollar bills to the long lei ribbon using the ribbon tied around each bill.
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9
Tie the two ends of the lei ribbon together after you have tied all the dollar bills to the lei.
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10
Trim the extra ends of the lei ribbon so they are the same length as the ribbons used to tie the dollar bills to the lei.
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1
Tips & Warnings
More bills creates a fuller, more expensive lei.
References
- Photo Credit pineapple and lei image by William Berry from Fotolia.com
