Japanese Kusudama, this tutorial is featured on Craftuts
Anyone can do that, I assure you. The proof: I can, just take a quick look at my result below. And, believe me, I am neither meticulous nor particularly patient. You could even say I’m the opposite.
Below you can see my very first attempt to create paper flowers.
What you will need to make your own Kusudama paper ball?
1. Paper – 60 square pieces of paper, all of the same size. I use advertising catalogues (for your convenience in the first part of this tutorial I use plain blue paper so that the folds are more visible). My squares are 3,5 cm x 3,5 cm but you can make them bigger, smaller squares would be rather hard to fold. For every flower you will need 5 pieces.
2. Ruler
3. Pencil
4. Glue – the glue I use have two nice properties: (1) it does not dry very quickly which allows small corrections when necessary (2) being initially white it turns translucent while drying
5* Scissors
(optionally) I prefer torn paper instead of cut. I fold it several times before tearing slowly.
6* Beads (optionally) Use them to add some extra glamour.
7. Toothpick – to apply the glue.
Now you have to glue your 5 petals into a flower.
Apply the glue to only one side of each petal, except for the last one, in this case cover both sides with glue.
Your first flower is done.
Don’t glue every petal right after you make it. Make the whole 60 and then glue them into 12 flowers, it’s really faster this way, believe me.
When all 12 flowers are finished you have to glue them together. You start with gluing the first half – six flowers together. With your first flower you have to apply the glue on two adjacent petals, with five next flowers you apply glue on three adjacent petals. Put the glue not exactly on the middle line of the petal but a little to the right.
When two halves of Kusudama Flower Ball are ready you have to glue them together. You can put a cord between the halves so that your ball can hang down. I make my Kusudama Flower Balls for a table decorations so I don’t put a cord.
I just finished the top half of my paper flower ball. Its absolutely goregous but totally time consuming. Maybe I’m a bit slow paced, but I like to make sure all the folds are neatly creased. If you can avoid using glue, it would go alot faster. I hear double sided tape works well. I wish I would’ve thought of that.
I’m going to surprise my mom on her birthday with one of these hanging from the mirror in her car. :) I love this craft and even though it takes forever, its totally worth it.
Post Its work perfectly.
When folding the squares of paper, how do you go from the 6th fold to the 7th fold? i cannot figure this step out.
nevermind about that question
These are awesome!!!
Thank you so much for the tutorial, can’t believe I managed to make it. It took ages but it was worth it!
Mine is slightly bigger, I found folding an A4 sheet into squares was the fastest option. I used white paper and fluorite beads, with a black ribbon to hang the ball:
http://placesiwant.blogspot.com/2011/03/can-hardly-believe.html
thanks for posting this it is fun making these! and a tip to others making it as well, double stick tape is a life saver in this project!!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1660430909638&set=a.1507715771855.2064748.1203120452&theater
What a good and revealing post.
it took me a 30 min. to figure out step 6 to 7, but when i did , it was only 15min to finish the flower…. i can’t wait to show off these flowers at my wedding… many thanx to the creator!!!
Hi, I just stopped by this link via a FB posting. (haven’t tried it yet)
This is a neat project and I wonder, do you think children could make this with adult supervision?
I am always looking for fun projects for my Budding Artist program.
Thanks,
CJ
My boyfriend and I just spent a half an hour trying to figure out #6, too. THE PART ON THE SIDE OPENS UP!!
Thanks for a great idea!
Hello there, I (like the others), am stuck on the step 6-7 fiasco…. Help? =[
Hahahaha, never mind. You simply unfold the flapy thing like a poofball. (Not that that will make any sense to anyone else in the world but me… )
Hi, I am so confused with making the actual petals itself. how do I do picture 5 of the petals ?
How do you go from step six to seven?
Hey all,
I was wondering how the heck you get from step 6 to 8, neither me or my roommates could figure it out.
That step took me awhile to get too, you have to pop open the ends push it flat down.
I am desperate for someone to explain to me the folding technique of step 6 and 7. Also, is the paper cut in 3 in 5 cm?
So confused. I have never had such a difficult time reading directions, than I have with this project.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Kusudama-Flower
Carman, You pull the inside fold out, to make it an outward fold. (grasp the inside fold and pull it out to make it an outward fold)
I learned this craft. And now I sell paper kusudama flowers on my Etsy shop (see above). i love making them for weddings and other celebrations. They are fancy kusudamas with stems and stamens. i also create mobiles and have had a great time thinking of new ways to create these glorious flowers.
For the gluing, I just used my hot glue gun – it made the gluing super fast and easy. Thank you for these awesome instructions!!
I actually made one, it didn’t take too much time and was quite pretty once completed. I would like to use a single color if I was to make it again (I just used some random origami paper I already had at home). -Will make again- :D
Thanks for a wonderful, fun project. I used colorful magazine pages and embellished with glitter and black beads alternately. My daughter wants me to make them in different sizes for her wedding……I’d better get busy folding :) Thanks again!
for anyone who is thinking “hey this is a really cool origami project” NO! this is not an origami project because pure origami does not use glue staples or *any* kind of fastener. paper only.
To attach the beads are you just using glue on the base of the bead?? (Thanks!) LOVE the flowers…made 2 bouquets for my Mom’s house and one for my dining room table centerpiece. Currently use colorful tissue paper in the middle and wood stems!
WOW! These are incredible and so beautiful… I’d love to have a go but wondering if my paper skills are up to scratch! These would make beautiful tree decorations for any time of year.. x
Sorry, but I personally couldn’t even understand how to go from step 4 to step 5, which of course invalidated anything else… :(
Its beautiful……thank you.
Amazing, I am definitely going to try this. I believe Anna would like this.
Takes a lot of time and effort, but the results are so beautiful!
Don’t know if my fingers could make those happen. You did a great job!
What a beautiful and fun project. I’ll have to try making some this weekend! I bet they would make great ornaments for the Christmas Tree.
Love origami! These are so neat!