Given the intense newspaper weaving session from the last post, I decided to do something a little simpler. So here is my pair of pot holders, made in aqua and white - the colours of my parents' living room. For quite some time now, they have been asking me to weave them something that goes with their room colours. And for a looong time now, I have been putting it off - mainly because I wasn't too sure that I would do justice to their aesthetically pleasing room! 

 So finally, after much deliberation, I decided to try out a couple of pot holders, to be kept over their piano, along with a candle stand in the same colour combination. Since I needed a pair, I used the exact opposite colours, in the same pattern. 

I am quite pleased with the way it has turned out. The centre portion, made from a single tube that is twisted around the base tube, was something new. While this is not always even, I quite like the effect produced. I believe I will use the same pattern in a few more weaves in the future!

The Gekkin kusudama started off as a way to use some leftover pieces of squares that I had mistakenly cut out for my last kusudama, Kusudama Estrelle Flor. While I needed only 15 squares of each colour, I had incorrectly calculated and cut 30 squares. So I ended up with the extra squares which I did not want to waste. 

So the Gekkin kusudama came in very handy. I used 10 dark purple, 10 lavender and 10 white squares to make this very pretty kusudama. A tassel and some beads and I ended up with an attractive ornament! 

The modules are pretty easy to fold and assembly is also straight forward. Since I wanted to make it into an ornament, I glued the joints. The curls add a very nice touch to the kusudama, giving the impression of a bouquet, I thought.

Model Details:

Model: Gekkin 

Creator: Maria Vahrusheva

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 3 inches 

Model Size: ~5 inches in diameter

Modules: 30

Diagram: Mediafire

Tutorial: Youtube

Recently I discovered a Youtube Origamist - Origami Kankichi. I later found out that he does have a blog and various other social media sites, but I prefer the youtube channel. Well, on his channel, he regularly posts tutorials on folding and assembling origami modulars. Most of this models are 30-unit assembly and of these, I especially like the sonobe variations - I have a particular fondness for sonobes. So after much deliberation, I decided to try out one of the sonobe variations that he has designed - the Mt. Fuji Kusudama.

The kusudama is a representation of Mt. Fujiyama in Japan. Naturally, it works best with blue and white paper. But, for me, the first time I saw this kusudama, I was reminded of Tomoko Fuse's Chrysanthemum Globe kusudama. So I decided to use a dark pink and white paper, to resemble a chrysanthemum covered mountain, I guess. Anyway, any contrasting colours should work out well for this kusudama.

The modular is made from 15 squares of dark pink and 15 squares of white origami paper. Each of the 15 squares are cut into 2 rectangles of ratio 1:2. So finally, to make the model, we will be folding 60 modules. 30 of these modules will form the mountain shape and the other 30 will form the sonobe base. The mountain modules are slotted into the sonobe bases before starting the assembly. While the task seems quite daunting, the folding is not very difficult, though a little time consuming. Assembly is the usual sonobe assembly - 3 pyramids grouped in clusters of 5.

Model Details:

Model: Mt. Fuji Kusudama  

Creator: Origami Kankichi

Difficulty Level: Low Intermediate

Paper Ratio: 1:2

Paper Size: 3 inches by 1.5 inches

Model Size: ~4 inches in diameter

Modules: 60

Tutorial: Youtube

Finally, pictures of the 6 flower baskets that I made for a recent wedding. The baskets really exceeded my expectations. Though they were a lot of work, I absolutely adore how well they have come out!

The pink that I finally worked with, was darker than my trial version. And the contrast with the white, I thought, worked out very well. I used pink polka dot ribbon for threading through the sides. And for the big bow, I used 2-inch pink satin ribbons along with gold 1-inch ribbons.

All the baskets lined up was absolutely eye-catching! In the back ground is the bouquet for the bride, made in a riot of colours - pink, red, cream and gold interspersed with green leaves. The bouquet was made by my very creative sister-in-law - the next picture gives a closer view of the bouquet.

Finally, a single basket. I just couldn't stop clicking pictures of the baskets and the bouquet and now, apparently, I can't stop posting all the pics!! 😂

After my Christmas bells made from newspaper tubes, I have been working with a fair amount of enthusiasm, on a rather large project! Making a trash can!!

It has been a fairly large project for me, because everything about this is new! I am new to newspaper weaving, so rolling the tubes itself is a challenge. The shape I have chosen is also new - till date, I have only attempted round structures, so a square is another challenge. Then there is the painting - as you can see, I have used lavender, green and white tubes. The white tubes were tricky because they weren't as bright white as I wanted them to be; hopefully I will get there in my next few attempts. Finally, I am not sure how clear it is, but I have used lavender/white paper beads around the middle of the basket. For some time I had the feeling that I had bitten off more than I could chew, but finally, I managed to complete the basket 😀 And really really proud of what I have done. I do realise there are a lot of faults, but at least I completed it!! So yay me!!

Model Details:

Model: Woven waste basket

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Model Size: ~15 inches tall 

Tutorial (making newspaper tubes): Youtube