Instructions for the Hanging Kusudama Origami Flower

Ah my first post!
I don't want my first post to be stressful so I decided to post my Kusudama origami project instructions here first! Have fun before we start learning Japanese! 

Thanks to Helen Man and Tina Lee, instructors at ALESN. www.alesn.org

Original Instruction information: http://zeybaaklini.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-to-do-origami-flower.html

A free PDF copy of the instructions I wrote below are also available at:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=BF8AED0897926D3C!549&authkey=!APqW3EDudizF0Qs

 Materials Needed:

Square-shaped Origami Sheets – I bought a 300-sheet pack from Michaels $9.99 + tax and used 43 sheets. Alternatively, you can use any type of foldable paper that is cut in a same-size square shape.

Scotch Tape

Double-sided Scotch Tape

(Glue is optional if you don’t want to tape it)

I took the liberty to research on Amazon.com for some interesting Origami papers.

I really recommend:

I didn't buy these origami packs yet, but I like these as well:

Step 1: Creating Creases

Fold a square paper diagonally in half.

 Step 2: Creating Creases

Fold the triangle horizontally in half.

Step 3: Creating Creases

Open up the triangle again as shown in Step 1 and this time fold the sides of the triangle to the top side. You will end up with a diamond shape.

Step 4: Creating Creases

From the right tip, fold the right layer diagonally towards the right side and align the bottom edge of the triangle with the bottom right side of the diamond. Repeat with the other side.

Your paper should look like this so far.

 Step 5: Folding

This part might be tricky. Unfold the right side back to Step 1 and lift up the entire right flap from the inside with your index finger. You can see that the creases are already in place and your middle crease should be in the middle of the fold. Push the paper back down on the side creases. The fold should look like a kite shape.

 Your paper should look like this. The left side is still untouched, but the right side shows the end result.

Repeat Step 5 with the left side.

 Ultimately, your paper should looks like this after the completion of Step 5.

Step 6: Folding

Fold the right and left tips downwards and make a crease on the top right and left sides of the paper.

An example is shown on the right side with the left side untouched. 

Step 7: Folding

On the right side, fold the mini-upside-down-triangle horizontally in half. There should already be a crease on the paper to guide you with the fold. Repeat this step with the left side.

In the example picture on the left, the right side is folded while the left side is untouched.

 Your paper should look like this so far.

 Step 8: Folding

Now, with the middle crease of the diamond as our guide, lightly fold the diamond horizontally so the right side of the diamond meets the left side. Hold it together with your fingers.

 Step 9: Taping

Tape the sides together with a piece of scotch tape.

Alternatively, you can glue the sides together.

 You have made your first flower petal!

Repeat steps 1-7 four more times to make a five-petal flower.

You can also make a different number of flowers petals – It’s all up to you. In this instruction, I will stick with a five-petal flower.

Remember, you can make multi-colored petals or stick with one color per flower. You can also decorate your petals. Be creative!

 Step 10: Assembling the Flower

Once you have five petals ready, stick a tiny piece of double-sided scotch tape on one side of a petal, preferably over where you previously taped.

Alternatively, you can add some glue instead of using double-sided tape.

 Step 11: Assembling the Flower

Stick two petals together by the inner sides. Tape the top inner sides of the petal together with regular scotch tape to secure the flower.

Repeat with petals three and four. Save the last petal for the next step.

Alternatively, you can also use glue to glue the pieces together.

 Step 12: Assembling the Flower

When four petals are completed, use a longer-sized double-sided tape and tape across the inner sides of the petal. Ideally, all petals should be touching that piece of tape. The fifth or last petal piece should fit snuggly in there.

Alternatively, you can also use glue to hold the pieces together.

I found another way the petals can be taped together easily. Lightly squish the four petals together and then tape across with double-sided tape, leaving extra tape on both sides.

Release the petals, making sure all of them make contact with the long piece of tape. Then add the fifth or final petal.

 You have made your first flower.

 Remember to tape or glue the top sides of each petal to secure the flower in place.

 Step 13: Assembling the Flower

Repeat steps 1-12 as desired to make each flower.

When you have two flowers, attach the two flowers together by using double-sided tape or glue for the lower-half and regular scotch tape or glue for the top as if we were sticking two petals together. Your two flowers should stick together like the two flowers located towards the top of the example picture on the left.

 To add a third flower, tape or glue three petals together with the middle petal attached to two petals of the first two flowers just like the example picture on the left.

Basically, you can stick your flowers together in any creative pattern.

The example picture on the left is what I did.

To make half of a flower ball, I made three flowers for the top layer and then attached six for the bottom layer.

You can definitely make different combinations and be creative with how you attach each flower.

In another project, I used one flower on top and five flowers for the second layer.

This is also an optional step to use a piece of string to hang your Kusudara flower.

In my example, I also attached a set of three Kusudara petals at the bottom to act as a hanging charm.

Wallah, you have a Kusudara flower!

 Here are other versions of a Kusudara origami project that my instructors Tina and Helen made using magazine paper.

The version in this instruction is similar to the example on the left.

The example at the bottom has beads inserted and glued into the middle of each flower and the Kusudara flower makes a great centerpeice as well.

Remember, the larger the paper size, the bigger the Kusudara flower.

Top view
I also made a bouquet with glitter and a stem with a plastic heart decoration or button in the middle.

Sorry for the blurry picture.

 On July 19th, 2013, I create this simple flower bouquet out of newspaper paper to be used in a magazine photo shoot. I used straws for the bottom to create the stem.