I'm Chia Wald and this is my blog. Here is where I share my thoughts and my art. Sometimes it is good, sometimes it isn't. That's life... and that's me. ArtsyMama is having an Artful Blogger Party! Lots of bloggers are participating by posting tutorials today and leaving the links on her blogs. This sounded like so much fun that I decided to play along. Be sure to visit ArtsyMama and check out all the great links in her comments.
PAPER KIMONOS
Aren’t they cute? Let’s get started…
Start with a strip of paper that is about 3 times longer than it is wide. Fold the paper into thirds (accordion style)
Fold one end over, about a 1/4″, then fold it over again.
Now fold it back on the 1/3 creases.
Fold the corners of the folded end down to the center. This forms the collar of the kimono.
Lift the top two layes of one side, fold them over and tuck them under the collar. Repeat for the other side.
Smoosh down the top corners.
Looking good!
Now we are going to form the sleeves. Bend the top back at the shoulders.
Fold the bottom up and tuck it under the shoulders. This will give you a nice folded edge at the top of the kimono. You can use a little glue to hold this together.
Turn it over. Isn’t it cute? Now take a scrap of paper and fold in both edges to make it look nice and smooth. Wrap it across the front and tuck the ends in behind the kimono. Secure it with a little glue.
Punch a small circle from cardstock and cut a piece of black paper that is just a little wider and taller than the circle. Lay the circle on top of the paper but don’t glue it together. Fold the paper sides over the circle and then fold sown the top. You can put a dot of glue under these edges to hold them in place. Hmm.. this head looks a little like Frankenstein, doesn’t it? We can fix that…
Fold the corners back to give the head a rounder look. Then slip it down over the collar and glue it in place.
I keep thinking I will find the time to make a dozen of these and a bunch of origami cranes so that I can string them up and make a mobile. So far it hasn’t happened but I keep thinking….
Stumble it!
14 responses so far ↓
1 Shannon // Aug 8, 2007 at 4:26 pm
That’s cute! You *should* make a mobile.
2 Kim // Aug 8, 2007 at 5:46 pm
This is great! Thanks for all the photos!
3 lia // Aug 8, 2007 at 6:06 pm
ohmygosh, I looove this. Thank you. I’m definitely going to try this. Great pics!
4 ConnieC // Aug 8, 2007 at 6:46 pm
I’m a sucker for kimonos. Thanks for sharing how to make some.
C
5 Natasha Burns // Aug 8, 2007 at 7:42 pm
These are so cute!!!!
6 Sandy // Aug 9, 2007 at 5:06 am
Love these ~ I used to make something like this (when I lived in Japan) and glue them on clothes pins.
Lovely blog.
Have a wonderful day
7 stephanie // Aug 9, 2007 at 7:15 am
This is a wonderful tutorial! I love origami!
8 m i c h e l l e // Aug 9, 2007 at 12:39 pm
How crazy cute is this! LOVE that you give it a head too!
Thank you!
9 chia // Aug 9, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Thanks everyone. I have another Kimono style that I’ll be making into a tutorial soon… maybe next week. I hope you will hang around for it.
10 Bejeweled // Aug 9, 2007 at 7:17 pm
These are so cute! I love kimonos and origami! And I think that mobile would be adorable
11 Becky // Aug 10, 2007 at 7:10 am
Very cute. Years I received a hankie that is folded that way. I never took it apart, cause I knew I would never get it back together. I still don’t think I will take it apart. But I will try this with paper
12 Miss*Laurence // Aug 10, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Thank you so much for posting this kimono! I posted a textile origami flower for the party on my blog! I’ll print it asap to try it with my son with our paper from my Japonese friend.
13 Amy // Aug 11, 2007 at 4:56 am
I adore these kimono’s - how cute are they??
I’ve had a couple of unsuccessful attempts, but I’m not deterred, I’ll get it eventually - it’s getting closer and closer each time. 
I’ve linked to this from my blog so I hope you don’t mind - just wanting to share this cute tutorial.
14 Barbara H. // Aug 11, 2007 at 6:15 am
I’m still making party rounds.
These are so cute!
Leave a Comment