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| Images by treeee |
Spring so far around these parts has been rainy rainy rainy. So, I thought a little origami might brighten those rained on spirits. How about trying your hand at an origami umbrella? And not just any umbrella, a traditional Japanese wagasa (paper umbrella).
I found a wonderful Japanese tutorial that I thought you'd enjoy (and a little more traditional looking than the images above).
I'll admit it - this isn't a project for origami purists (there's scissors, glue, thread, glittery pipe cleaners and even a sacrificial chopstick involved). Nor is it for beginners - but it's a pretty fantastic one! (And, I must say, I found the videos a bit mesmerizing - a killer combo of craftmanship and classical music.)
The tutorial is in 2 parts (links to translated pages):
Part One introduces the materials needed and the basic folds. You'll also find the first video tutorial here.
Part Two leads you through the more complicated cut work and putting the umbrella together. You can find 3 more video tutorials on this page.
For visual learners, you could probably skip right to the video tutorials:
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four
Love to see your version if you end up putting your nimble fingers to the test and folding up one of these. And if you need origami paper, find a lovely variety of patterns, colours and sizes at Omiyage.ca
