Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts

This Easter, let us not forget that it is not about fluffy bunnies and chocolate eggs, but about what Jesus did for us. Happy Easter, dear readers :)

Well, I have been wondering what to fold this Easter and decided to redo Jared Needle's origami cross. It is a beautiful origami to fold and the more I have folded this cross, the more I enjoy it! There are quite a few sinks, both open and closed sinks. Initially the closed sink was a challenge but now I find it pretty easy. And I do like the way the cross is completed. All unnecessary folds are beautifully concealed, both in the front and at the back.

I am sure you are wondering why I have folded so many of crosses. Our BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) classes, for this year, are coming to a close. We are nearly at the end of Genesis (We have been studying Genesis this year) and should be done in a couple more classes I think. So I thought it would be a nice idea to fold this cross, so we can remember our group :) And it makes a handy bookmark, to it might turn out to be a useful addition to the Bible too! I am still not done folding crosses. I need at least 15 and have about 3 more to go.


Model Details:

Model: Cross 

Creator: Jared Needle

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 6 inch squares

Model Size: 4.5 inches tall and 4 inches across

Instructions: Cross by Jared Needle

With Palm Sunday tomorrow, these crosses made from palm leaves should come in handy, I hope :) So here is a quick tutorial to make a palm cross, in 10 simple steps..

Let's start. All we need is half a palm leaf, removed from the central vein and a pair of scissors.


1. Measure and cut the palm leaf to 20 inches. It helps if the size of the leaf is more or less the same throughout. So cut off the top bit, where the leaf narrows down and the bottom bit where it is quite thick, and cut out 20 inches from the remaining leaf.

2. Holding the leaf straight up, fold down the top half of the leaf at 10 inches from the bottom. Fold the leaf forward and ensure that it is perpendicular to the straight  bit.

3. Fold the bit from Step 2 around and behind the straight part of the leaf. The fold will now be in the opposite direction to the previous step.

3A. This is a close up of the folded corner.  You should be able to see the little right-angled triangle, formed from Steps 2 and 3.


4. Fold the arm in the right, again to the left, so that the right-angled triangle (Step 3A) is now hidden. Ensure that this fold is in the front and not behind the previous folds.

5. Now, make a small look (about 2 inches) and again fold to the right. This forms the first arm of the cross.

6. Repeat on the left, to get the second arm of the cross. But ensure that this fold is inbetween 2 layers. You should be near the end of the leaf now. So the last bit will go behind the fold in Step 5 and before the crease of Step 4.

6A. This gives the side view of the layers where the 2 arms of the cross meet. You can see the last bit of the leaf tucked inbetween 2 layers.


7. Almost there! Next, fold down all the layers (the 2 arms of the cross), so that the back of the cross is now seen. You should now be able to see a little square where the arms meet. Ensure that you do not let go of any of the layers here.

8. Now take the other end of the leaf and insert it into the square of the junction of the 2 arms. This might be tricky the first time. If you look into the little square, you will be able to see a little triangle (folded in Step 3). Now the leaf should be inserted above the triangle and below the square. This is the most crucial step that holds the cross together.

9. Slowly pull the end upwards completely. When it is fully through, it will lock the two arms in place. Now the difficult bits are over :)

10. Reinsert the long arm (now at the top), back into the square, as in the previous step. Pull it down slowly and stop when you have about 2 inches between the top and the square junction. This forms the 3 arm of the cross. The bottom bit is the fourth arm.

The cross is now complete :)

The two side arms can be adjusted, in case you feel they are not proportionate. And once you have completed the cross a couple of times, you can just eye-ball the length and finish off the cross in a jiffy..

Hope you have a blessed Palm Sunday.

Today is Good Friday, the day when Christ's crucifixion and death on the cross is remembered by Christians world over.

On this day of sacrifice, I folded this traditional cross from a strip of paper in the ratio 1:30. We usually fold this cross from palm leaves on Palm Sunday, but to me, the meaning of the cross is more profound on Good Friday. So I love folding this cross every year on this day to remind myself of Christ's amazing sacrifice for man.

I usually make this cross from 10 mm quilling strip - the perfect paper for making strip origami, be it stars or crosses! Here though, I have used single-sided paper and this has given me a small square in the centre.

Model Details:

Model: Cross 

Origin: Traditional

Difficulty Level: Simple

Paper Ratio: Strip

Paper Size: 1 cm by 30 cms

Instructions: Origami Resource Center