The Public Paperfolding History Project

Back to Origami Heaven

x
 

The 1885 engraving of the Flapping Bird

   These Topic and Individual Design Pages contain information about topics or individual designs taken from verifiable sources. The information should be accurate but, in some cases, it may not be all the information available.

The Topic Pages also act as indexes to help you find information about an individual design you may be interested in.

The first two sections provide links to pages about Some Well-Known Designs and Paperfolding and Some Well-Known People. Looking through a few of these may, I hope, encourage you to dig in a little deeper.

Topic and Individual Design Pages are arranged under the following sub-headings, from top to bottom:

Top Level Topic Pages

Second Level Topic Pages

Third Level Topic Pages

Designs from Standard Bases / Basic Folds / Paper Shapes

Paperfolding Ideas / Practices

Paperfolding in Japan

Paperfolding in China

Paperfolding in Education in Europe and the Americas 1852 to 1970

Froebelian Paperfolding and Additional Occupations

Polygonal Geometric Designs and Decorations

Constructing Regular Polygons by Folding Paper

Other Mathematical Paperfolds

Flexagons and Some Other Related Flexible Objects

Everyday Practical Paperfolding

Designs for Inanimate Objects

Designs for Living Things
 
 
 
Top Level Topic Pages
 
 
 
 
Second Level Topic Pages
 
 
 
 
Third Level Topic Pages
 
  Active Play Designs     Paperfolding Games     Designs from Playing Cards
                     
  Paperfolding in Advertising     Handkerchief Folding     Constructing Polygons by Folding Paper
                     
  Constructing Angles by Folding Paper     Inflatable Designs     Polyhedra Constructed from Irregular Nets
                     
  Book Folding     Designs which Move under Insect Power     Constructing Polyhedra by Folding Paper
                     
  Paper Books and Folding Pages     Paper Prisons for Insects     Paperfolding as Political Propaganda
                     
  Cardboard Modelling / Cartonnage     Macromodular Paperfolding     Paperfolding in Psychological Tests
                     
  Concentric Crease Designs / The Hyperbolic Paraboloid / The Saddle     Paperfolding Stunts, Entertainments and Magical Effects     Paperfolding Puzzles
                     
  Paperfolding in Cookery and Baking     Mathematical Paperfolding     Mathematical Paperfolding Puzzles
                     
  Fold and Cut / Fold, Cut and Fold Animals and Human Figures (incomplete)     Modular Paperfolding     Quilling / Paper Filigree
                     
  Fold and Cut Chevron Designs     Money Folding / Dollar Bill Folding     Air / Breath Driven Rotating Designs
                     
  Fold and Cut Friezes (incomplete)     Tablecloth, Napkin, Serviette and Handkerchief Folding     See-Through Designs
                     
  Fireworks     Noise Making Designs     Paperfolding Science
                     
  Flexagons     Paperfolding in Occupational Therapy     Paperfolding as a Means of Teaching Sewing Techniques
                     
  Flying Objects     Paper Packets and Packaging (incomplete)     Paper Sloyd
                     
  Formal and Ceremonial Paperfolding     Pattern Drawing Puzzles Solved by Folding Paper     Walking Designs
                     
  Three-Dimensional Single-Sheet Geometric Ornaments and Decorations           Water Absorbing Designs
 
 
 
Designs from Standard Bases / Basic Folds / Paper Shapes
 
  Designs from the Double Blintz Basic Form     Designs from the Preliminary Fold     Designs from the Bird Base
                     
  Designs from the Double Bookfold Basic Form     Designs from the Fish Base     Designs from the Pig Base
                     
  Designs from the Triple Blintz Basic Form     Designs from the Windmill Base     Designs from the House
                     
  Designs from the Waterbomb Base     Designs from the Blintzed Windmill Base      
 
 
 
Paperfolding Ideas / Practices
 
  Bases     Metallic Foil as a Folding Material     Wetfolding
                     
  Diagramming techniques     Pure Origami      
                     
  The Concept of Elegance     Squarism      
 
 
 
Paperfolding in Japan
 
  Designs Braided from Split Strips     Japanese Knotted Letters     Sake Bottle Covers and Decorations
                     
  Connected Cranes     Kusudama     Shide / Japanese Sacred Cut and Fold Paper Streamers
                     
  Strings of Cranes     Noshi     Designs folded from Slit Bases
                     
  Fold and Cut Family Crests / Mon     Ocho and Mecho     Paper String
                     
  Paperfolding in Elementary Schools in Japan (in process)     Orikawari-e / Japanese Fold-in Prints     Tsutsumi - General
                     
  Japanese Folded Letters     Japanese Transformable Picture Forms     Tsutsumi - Closed Wrappers
                     
  Kaishi     Chronology of Early Japanese Representative Designs (in process)     Tsutsumi - Open Wrappers
                     
  Paperfolding in the Kindergarten in Japan            
 
 
 
Paperfolding in China
 
Chinese Paperfolding - An Overview
 
  Folded Paper Armour     Chinese Paper Fans     Chinese Multiple Layer Collapsible Boxes (Zhen Xian Bao) (in process)
                     
  Chinese Books and Bindings     Chinese Modular Origami / 3D Origami / Golden Venture Origami     Folding Paper Umbrellas
                     
  Chinese Symmetrical Fold and Cut Designs (in process)     The Insect Cage     Chinese Wrapping and Containers (Early Instances)
                     
        Chinese Letter Folds (in process)     Folded Paper Yuan Bao / Sycee
 
 
 
Paperfolding in Education in Europe and the Americas 1852 to 1970
 
The pages in this section are in the very early stages of construction at present
 
  Paperfolding in Education in Argentina 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in France 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in Spain 1852 to 1970
                     
  Paperfolding in Education in Austria 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in Germany 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in Switzerland 1852 to 1970
                     
  Paperfolding in Education in Belgium 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in Italy 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in the USA 1852 to 1970
                     
  Paperfolding in Education in Denmark 1852 to 1970     Paperfolding in Education in the Netherlands 1852 to 1970      
                     
  Paperfolding in Education in England 1852 onwards     Paperfolding in Education in Russia 1852 to 1970      
 
 
 
Froebelian Paperfolding and Additional Occupations
 
Friedrich Froebel and paperfolding in the Kindergarten - An Overview
 
  The Froebelian Occupation of Ausschneiden und Aufkleben (Cutting Out and Mounting)     The Additional Occupation of Pattern Drawing and Colouring-In based on Folded Grids     Froebel's Method of Cutting Four Squares from a Rectangle
                     
  The Additional Occupation of Cardboard Modelling     The Froebelian Occupation of Falten - Schonheitsformen (Forms of Beauty)     The Froebelian Occupation of Tressage (Braiding)
                     
  The Froebelian Occupation of Falten - Erkenntnissformen (Forms of Knowledge)     The Additional Occupation of Constructing Patterns from Folded Shapes     The Froebelian Occupation of Verschnuren (Interlacing)
                     
  The Froebelian Occupations of Flechten - (Weaving and Free Weaving)     The Additional Occupation of Cutting Tiles from Folded Grids and Using Them to Form Patterns      
                     
  The Froebelian Occupation of Falten- Lebensformen (Forms of Life)     The Froebelian Occupation of Falten - Simple Folds of Life      
 
 
 
Polygonal Geometric Designs and Decorations
 
Other than Froebelian Forms of Beauty
 
  Square Decorations     Octagonal Decorations     Hexagrams / Stars of David
                     
  Pentagonal Decorations     Four-Pointed Stars     Octagrams / Eight-Pointed Stars
                     
  Hexagonal Decorations     Five-Pointed Stars      
 
 
 
Constructing Regular Polygons by Folding Paper
 
Including Fold and One Cut Methods
 
 
 
 
Other Mathematical Paperfolds (in process)
 
 
 
 
Flexagons and Some Other Related Flexible Objects
 
  Flexagons (overview)     Silverflexagons     Cherchez la Femme / The Trick Book
                     
  Hexaflexagons     Bronzeflexagons     The Flexatube
                     
  Tetraflexagons     Black Holes      
 
 
 
Everyday Practical Paperfolding
 
 
 
 
Designs for Inanimate Objects
 
  Alphabets, Letters and Numbers           Multiple-Image Pleated Paper Pictures / Falzbilder / Tabulae Striatae
                     
  Paper Bags            
                     
  Paper Balls           Cut and Fold Polygonal Packets
                     
  Baskets           Purses / Bags / Wallets / Card Holders (incomplete)
                     
  Beads           Sedan Chairs / Kagos / Palanquins
                     
  Boats and Ships     Paper Garlands, Chains and Bands      
                     
  Bookmarks     Globus Gores     Space Vehicles
                     
  Boxes, Bowls and Other Containers     Hats and Caps      
                     
  Paper Bridges (weight supporting)            
                     
  2D representations of Buildings and Structures     Hearts     Spools / Yarn Holders
                     
  3D representations of Buildings and Structures     Jewellery / Rings     Symmetrical Inkblots / Klecksography / The Rorschach Test
                     
  Card Castles / Houses of Cards / Chateaux de Cartes / Playing Card Skittles           Tents
                     
  Card Castles and Cocottes     Pleated Paper Lampshades     Fold and Slit Paper Tinsel / Tassles (incomplete)
                     
  Paper Cartridges     Landscapes      
                     
  Clothing / Shoes / Personal Accessories     Lamps / Lanterns / Lanthorns     Tools and Household Equipment
                     
  Corporals     Lover's Knots     Transport and Vehicles
                     
  Crowns     Metamorphoses / Harlequinades      
                     
  Cubes     Mitres of Infamy     Umbrellas and Parasols
                     
  Paper Cups     Musical Instruments (non-playing)      
                     
  Paper Darts and Flights     One Way Trays     Valentines, Proposals and Love Tokens
                     
               
                     
  Desk Furniture     Paperclips     The Folding of Visiting / Calling Cards
                     
        Folded Patenbriefs / Taufbriefs / Godparent Letters     Write and Fold Games / Draw and Fold Games / Le Cadavre Exquis
                     
  Pleated Paper Fans     Paper Pipes     Wall Mounted Designs (incomplete)
                     
  Fold-Outs (incomplete)     Paper Pistols      
                     
  Furniture     Paper Planes     Windmills
 
 
 
Designs for Living Things
 
  Angels     Elephants     Mythical and Invented Creatures
                     
  Bats     Fish     Octopii
                     
  Bears     Plants, Flowers and Seeds (incomplete)     Peacocks
                     
  Birds     Foxes / Raccoon Dogs     Penguins
                     
  Bulls and Cows     Fukusuke     Pigs and Boars
                     
  Butterflies and Moths     Frogs, Toads and Tadpoles     Prehistoric Creatures
                     
  Camels     Ghosts     Rabbits and Hares
                     
  Cats     Giraffes     Rhinocerii
                     
        Hina Dolls / Emperor and Empress Figures     Father Christmas / Santa Claus
                     
  Cicadas     Horses     Miscellaneous Sealife and Shellfish
                     
  Crabs and Lobsters     Human Faces     Seals / Sealions
                     
  Crane and Tortoise Designs     Human Figures (incomplete)     Snails
                     
  Deer     Insects     Spiders
                     
        Kangaroos     Trees
                     
  Dogs     Leaves     Turtles / Tortoises
                     
  Dragonflies     Lizards     Whales
                     
        Mice and Rats     Wolves
                     
  Ducks, Swans and Geese     Monkeys and Apes     Zebras