Weekend Origami--Kirigami Stars (and Other Stuff)

Paper cutting is as fun to do as regular origami, although kids need to be a *little* older to be able to cut through the layers of paper (more like 6 than 3 or 4).  Lower elementary grade kids should definitely be able to cut out the One-Cut Star shown in the video below.  The fold shown is the 10-fold (there is also a 4-fold, 6-fold, 8-fold, and 12-fold).  First you fold, then you cut--just one straight line, and you get a lovely star!  Very mysterious...;-))



Did you do it?  Notice that the angle of the cut changes the shape of the star--a less acute angle makes a "fatter" star, a deeper angle makes a star with skinnier arms like this:

See how the angle on the yellow paper is steeper than the one I cut for the silver star?  It comes out looking like the photo below:

And what about that blue paper with two lines on it?  Guesses?  Right--an outline star plus a smaller bonus star...

....kawaii, desho!










And you needn't be restricted to straight lines.  A curve with a nick at the top gets you this:

Springtime Cherry Blossom

For the more adventurous, how about drawing a little person on top of the straight line for the star? (I've used a black marker to draw my lines so they show up in the photos--you needn't.  Lightly drawn lines in pencil are fine, or freehand if you are so bold:-))

We are the World...

...We are the Children...

And feel free to draw your own shape across the middle of the 10-fold!  I tried drawing holly:

Merry Christmas to All

I'll try to get some other Christmas Origami up this week--probably the Candle, the Tree, and the Stocking:-)).  Gambatte, ne!

Mata asobou, ne!