See larger image
Here it is. Another origami Christmas tree tutorial. WARNING – Photo Heavy Tutorial Ahead!
I remember when I was younger and every Christmas my mum would be tasked with the job of making table top centre pieces for the dining tables at school. For weeks before Christmas, I would be watching Art Attack and reading library books (google? I think NOT) trying to come up with a new and exciting idea. Usually the finished pieces included the usage of toilet roll tubes, oranges, or gold spray paint… sometimes all three! But boy, oh boy, we never had anything quite as exciting as these Origami Christmas trees. And they would look AWESOME on school dining room tables, wouldn’t they?
So give it a go. I love the finished structure, and you can decorate them with buttons, glitter glue, and tinsel too. You may even be able to find mini baubles for your tree. Here’s how you can make your own.
You will need to make at least four layers to your tree, and this means you will need four squares. I have chosen 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches and 6 inches squared. The fold is exactly the same for all four, but to begin i recommend starting with the biggest square as this will be easier, and then work your way down to the smallest square.
See larger image
Take the largest square and fold in half with the pattern on the outside
See larger image
Open out, turn 90 degrees and fold in half again.
See larger image
Open out the paper again, flip over so the pattern is facing upwards, and then fold diagonally in half.
See larger image
Open out, turn 90 degress and fold in half diagonally again.
See larger image
Your paper should look like this now.
See larger image
Fold in the paper along the very first crease that you made, which was folding it in half to make a rectangle. With the pattern on the outside and the fold at the top, hold each top corner between your forefingers & thumbs
See larger image
Gently bring these corners downwards and towards each other, and let the paper fold naturally into a shape that resembles the flight of a dart.
See larger image
Flatten the paper so you have two flaps on the left and two on the right.
See larger image
Lay flat on a table, and lift the top flap of the bottom section up so the bottom point meets the top point.
See larger image
To look like this…
See larger image
Whilst using your left hand to hold the left side down, lift the right hand half of the paper up and over, as if you are turning the page in a book.
See larger image
Repeat folding the bottom flap up.
See larger image
Turn the whole thing over and repeat until all four sections have been folded in half. The paper will now look like this.
See larger image
Now, the bit that is tricky to explain! Fold down one of the flaps again and you will see a vertical crease and a horizontal crease. Imagine these form a clock, so you have a 12 o’clock crease, a 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock crease.
See larger image
You want to make a fold half way between the 3 o’clock crease and the 6 o’clock crease. The easiest way to do this is to fold the bottom flap up so the six o’clock crease touches the 3 o’clock crease. Pinch and crease the fold.
See larger image
When you do this, you will have a small folded triangle sticking down – the one that i am pinching in my left hand.
See larger image
Fold this up and tuck in between the next section of the folded paper.
See larger image
Repeat with the next section, folding the 6 o’clock crease to meet the 3 o’clock crease, pinching to make a mid way crease, then tucking up underneath the next flap. Continue until all four sections are done. This is the last flap.
See larger image
This bit takes practice. You need to carefully, gently yet firmly hold the structure, and tuck the tip of the triangular flap into the slot. (Sorry for the blurry picture)
See larger image
Once the tip is in, gently ease in the rest of the flap. The finished piece should look like this.
See larger image
And when you turn it around the right way, it start to take shape. Repeat all the above steps with your three other pieces of paper, and then assemble like this. Ease the point of the larger pyramid into the underneath of the smaller one.
See larger image
Pop all four on top of each other, and hey presto – a Christmas Tree!!
See larger image
And if you are feeling very adverturous, you can even use a lollypop stick or coffee stirrer as a tree trunk, and you can plant your Christmas Trees.
See larger image
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial, and please leave me a comment if you like it, or indeed if you need further clarification. I’ve enjoyed showing you how to make them, so i just can wait to see what you make!
Merry Christmas!
x
