Quick Stitch - Origami Box

It's interesting how early childhood activities find their way back around!  Origami paper folding was one such activity that my small fingers delighted dabbling with - did I ever master the jumping frog I wonder?!  

Origami made a lasting impression all the same and folding with fabulous fabric adds to the appeal.  Reworking this box project from a few years back with recycled Kimono fabrics was most pleasurable - it's a very simple, yet striking project that can be created using any thin fabrics that give a sharp fold. 

The starting point is cutting 12 equal circles of fabric, 6 each in two toning fabrics.  Cut one of the pair of circles  needs to be cut 0.25cm larger all around as this will become the box lid.  

Then to take one of each circle colour and stitch right sides together with as scant a seam as possible, leaving a gap of around 3cm in the seam for turning.  Then turn the circles right sides out, neatly hand stitch the gap closed and carefully press the seams.

Then the origami bit comes into play by folding in the circled edges to create a squar.  Do this for all size pieces, noting which of the 6 pieces is the slightly larger piece for the lid.  

Then the points of each square are folded back on themselves to make a smaller square, keeping tabs on that larger piece.

Take time with both of these folds to keep the pieces square and consistant - this will make the final construction very much easier.

A stiff insert is then made for the box sides - I used traditional pelmet vilene with an adhesive on one side - stiff card could also be used.  Cut 5 inserts to tuck into the inside corners of the folded box sides and cut a slightly larger piece for the lid piece.  

Cut pieces of fabric larger than the inserts (1cm all the way around) and adhere these pieces to one side of the stiff insert.  Fold over the edges and adhere to the back side of the card/vilene.

Tuck an insert into the corners on the back of each of the box sides - again remembering which one is the lid.  The final construction into a box starts with the base piece and neatly hand stitching one of the side pieces to each of the 4 sides.  I used polyster beading tread for this as a single strand is very strong and I changed colour on each seam for best toning.  I then stitched up the box sides and finally stitched on the larger lid piece.  There are many creative possibilites for making this box by mixing up fabrics and I'm sure you will agree that Jo's use here of recycled Indian textiles at a recent workshop looks stunning.