DIY Network

Book Origami Turn books into origami for your walls. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-203

Old hardbound books become striking origami in this fun project.

Michele Beschen didn’t just write the book on reusing unwanted items—she even reused the book itself.

The B. Original host loves finding new uses for things, especially things that would otherwise be thrown away. In this project, she takes unwanted hardbound books and turns them into origami art for the wall.

Michele Beschen’s folding techniques are simple enough that kids can do this project as easily as adults. Scroll down for her how-to, and get stared folding!

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Book Wall Hangings

• Below are some basic folding patterns for making your own book origami. Use them as a starting point and branch out to develop your own patterns.

• You can hang your finished pieces on the wall using standard plate hangers. Try grouping them for an interesting effect.

• Michele Beschen recommends thrift stores and yard sales as good, inexpensive sources for hardback books. Some used book stores also have a "free" bin of books that haven’t sold; check there to see if you can find something suitable.

Figure A

Alternating Folds

• Open a hardbound book to the center—all of the folds will be going inward toward the center.

• Take one page and fold the bottom corner up and in toward the center, making a sharp crease.

• With the next page, fold the top corner down and to the center.

• With the third page, fold both corners to the center of the book’s spine to make a triangle.

• Repeat this pattern until you’ve gone about halfway from the middle of the book to the outside cover (figure A).

• Go back to the center of the book and fold the pages in the same pattern until you’re about halfway through that side of the book.

Rounded Folds

• Open the book to the center.

• Starting with the center pages, loop individual pages toward the outside of the book and squish them flat.

• Make the loops larger (less squished) as you move out from the enter of the book.

• After you have looped several pages, loop a group of about 10 pages to the outside in one bunch (figure B).
  

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

  
  

• Continue looping multiple pages to the outside of the book, increasing the number of pages looped as you go. Don’t try to crease the outer loops; leave them rounded (figure C).

• Leave several pages—at least 1/4" of thickness—unlooped on both sides of the book.

Figure D

Sectioned Folds

• Open the book to the center and fold the top corner of both center pages inward to the center of the book (figure D).

• Repeat this inward fold for about 20-25 pages on both sides of the center.

• On the next pages, fold the bottom corner up and in to the center for another 20-25 pages on both sides of the book.

• Repeat this pattern until the book looks nice and full. Leave some pages unfolded on both sides.