Introduction: Origami Ball

About: We are a team that creates instructables, and also a family. We love creating posts, and also doing projects. We love cool stuff, and gadgets.

We see balls everywhere...on the playground, at sports, in painting, everywhere! You can make one fairly easily out of clay, but not everyone has clay on hand. But, you can make a "ball" out of paper! Now, this ball isn't round, it actually has many different pyramid-like points. But this shouldn't stop you from making your very own origami unit ball!

Materials List:

  • Origami paper, square paper, or post it notes. (I used post-it notes, but this is a bit more difficult)
  • Your Hands!
  • This intractable

But, honestly. All you need is paper, simply. No scissors, no box cutter, no EXACTO knife. Easy and simple!

As you can tell, this 'ible was entered into the new contest: EpilogContest. I entered this for the same reason as everybody else: for the Laser Cutter. Now, I would love to have a laser cutter, as it would expand the variety of projects I do, and it would help me deliver more to you. And, honestly, I'm not going to lie; I love 3Doodlers. I have the 1.0 version, but it got jammed or something, and isn't working properly. I loved that thing, and would love the newer, better 2.0 version. Therefore, if you feel that this instructable is "worthy", please consider voting. Every vote counts toward the competition, and I understand a lot of people will enter, and if you like origami and paper folding enough for your vote, thank you!

Step 1: Creating the Units

Creating the Units is relatively easy, if you do the correct steps. What we are going to make will look quite a bit like birds with demented wings, so bear with me!

  1. Fold your sticky note in half. The sticky part should be along the left or right edge, not the top or bottom.
  2. Open the sticky note up.
  3. Fold each half into half. When you open it up, you will have 4 sections
  4. Open it up.
  5. Fold one of the fourths back over.
  6. Here is where it gets tricky: on the part that's folded over, take a corner and fold it up so one section remains. See the picture for clarification.
  7. Open it up.
  8. Repeat step 6 except for the other side.
  9. DO NOT unfold. Fold the remaining 1/4 over the fold, and tuck the other triangle inside of the other fold. See picture if unclear.
  10. Turn Over. Fold the two triangles sticking out back over
  11. Take one of the ends sticking out and align it into the square, forming it in with the square.
  12. Repeat step 11 for the other end sticking out.
  13. Fold the square in half on the crease, forming a triangle.
  14. Release the fold for the triangle, and you'll have a bird-like formation.

If any steps in this process are unclear, check out the pictures for clarification.

Step 2: Assembling the Units: Pyramids

In this step, we'll be assembling the units to create bigger units that make up our ball. They will resemble pyramids, and many together will give us our snazzy look.

  1. Take one of your units, Color 1.
  2. Take another one of your units, Color 2.
  3. Insert the flap of Color 2. unit into the pocket of Color 1. unit.
  4. Push gently to lock into place.
  5. Take another one of your units, Color 3.
  6. Insert one of Color 3.'s flaps into Color 2.'s pocket.
  7. Insert Color 1.'s flap into Color 3.'s pocket.

This is how you make the pyramid, as seen in the last picture. My Color 1. and Color 2. and Color 3. seems confusing, but I'll decipher that.

Color 1.~~~Blue

Color 2.~~~Green

Color 3. ~~~Yellow/Orange

Step 3: Assembling the Units: the Ball

Now that you have one triangle, we need to keep adding triangles, and connecting necessary pieces. Here is my hint: when it comes close, connect it. Eventually, you will be using already added pieces for your pyramids, but the pictures will guide you. I have done my best with the text area of this step, however, it is extremely difficult to explain.

  1. Continue adding pyramids. You know how in the original pyramid, there are three extra things sticking out for pyramids to be attached? Attach three pyramids to the original, one per side.
  2. Continue adding pyramids until two units come very close together. Connect these.
  3. Continue in this pattern, connecting and locking. Make sure you don't connect any too early, or else you will have a random cube in the middle.
  4. The assembly takes a little while to master. Sometimes I make mistakes and need to disassemble and reassemble a couple of times. Be patient. You know the general formation, so keep trying!

That's all to it! I know it was only 3 steps, however, this takes time to master. I hope you enjoyed learning, and will vote, favorite, and subscribe. Have a great day, and I hope that this was helpful and fun! (:,'

Epilog Contest VII

Participated in the
Epilog Contest VII