David Mitchell's Origami Heaven - History - An Analysis of Paperfolding Occupations

The Public Paperfolding History Project Main Index Page Last updated 12/12/2025 x
An Analysis of Paperfolding Occupations

This page attempts an analysis of the various occupations found in Froebelian and handicraft / manual work manuals and gives some of the names by which these occupations are known in various languages. ******** Falten The occupation of Falten, also known as Paper Folding in English, Pliage in French, Plegado in Spanish and Vouwen in Dutch, can be defined as the folding of compact paper shapes, without the use of cuts. It is conventionally divided into three categories of designs, to which a fourth, Designs from Oblongs, and a fifth, Pleated Letters and Numbers, should be added: Erkenntnisformen (Forms of Learning) and Geometric Folds Schonnheitsformen (Forms of Beauty) Lebensformen (Forms of Life) including Simple Folds of Life Designs from Oblongs Pleated Letters and Numbers This occupation also encompasses the use of finished folds as tiles to create second generation Forms of Beauty and Forms of Life. Combinations of Schonheitsformen Combinations of Lebensformen Combinations of Geometric Folds ****** The Folding of Paper Strips Borders and Corners (from single strips) Verschnuren (outline polygons from single strips and interlaced designs from two or more strips) Flat Letters and Numbers Braiding (from two or more separate strips) Braiding from connected strips Designs made from Rolled Paper Strips ****** The Creation of Symmetrical Fold and Cut Designs Bilaterally Symmetric Representational Fold and Cut Designs Fold, Cut and Fold Animals Fold and Cut Friezes Ausschneiden und Aufkleben (Cutting Out and Mounting) Fold, Slit and Fold Chevron Designs (also known as Bookmarks) Fold and Cut Polygons ****** Cardboard Modelling The use of Cardboard Modelling as an occupation can be divided into four categories of designs: Boxes and Containers Polyhedra and Other Solids Representational Designs Other Useful Designs ****** Other Miscellaneous Paperfolding Occupations Combination of Schonnheitsforman and Ausschneiden und Aufklaben Fold, Slit and Fold Boxes and Other Useful Items Designs made from Folded Playing Cards Cutting Tiles from Folded Grids and Using Them to Form Patterns Using Crease Patterns as the Basis of Colouring and Drawing Exercises ********