How to Fold Simple Kusudama Flowers
Fold five 3–4 inch squares into cone petals and glue them side to side into one flower. Paper and glue. 30–45 minutes the first time.
What You'll Need
- Square origami paper, 5 sheets (3–4 inch / 7.5–10 cm)
- Glue stick or PVA craft glue
Five squares and glue. That’s one flower.
This is the 5-unit beginner kusudama: each petal is a small cone, then five cones glue into a flower. Use 3 inch (7.5 cm) or 4 inch (10 cm) squares, all the same size. Standard origami paper. Glue is required. First flower 30–45 minutes; later ones 15–25.
If you are cutting squares from A4 or letter, measure once and cut all five the same. Mixed sizes will not close.
Triangle, then corners up
Colored side up. Fold the square into a triangle, long edge at the bottom. Fold the left and right bottom corners up to the top point. You now have a smaller square with two flaps pointing up. Crease.
Flip, fold flaps, unfold
Turn the unit over. Fold the two small side triangles in toward the center line. Crease. Unfold those two flaps — you need the crease marks.
Tuck corners and glue the cone
Fold the top corners of those flaps down along the horizontal crease so they tuck into the side pockets. Glue one outside flap. Bring the two triangular halves together into a cone and hold 10–20 seconds. That is one petal. Make 5.
Glue five petals into a flower
Glue an outside wing of petal 1 to the matching wing of petal 2, bases and points lined up. Add 3, 4, and 5 the same way. Close the ring by gluing petal 5 back to petal 1. Let it dry. Paperclips hold joints if the PVA is slow.
