Thirty Minute Make: Kusudama Flower Tutorial

This morning I have been making kusudama flowers. Kusudama means "medicine ball" and if you made enough (12) of these flowers and stuck them together they would form a ball.

You will need five square pieces of paper. I have used 15cm square for the large and 10cm square for the small. I wouldn't advise going smaller than 10cm, at least for your first go, as it is difficult to make crisp folds in anything smaller. You can use any paper, such as newspaper, brown parcel paper etc.

 1. Position your paper as shown.

 2. Fold in half with a nice crisp fold. If you are using paper with a pattern on one side, make sure the pattern is showing at this stage.

 3. Fold the outer points up to the top point.

 4. Take the flaps from step 3 and turn them out so that the inner folds of step 3 are now on the outside edge. (You are effectively folding that flap in half outwards).

 5. Open out the previous fold and flatten out in the kite shape above. Your previous folding should allow it to form this shape quite easily.

 6. Fold the tips in on themselves.

 7. Fold the two outer triangles in on themselves.

8. The two outer triangles can now be bent round to meet each other, without folding a crease. By glueing these triangles together, you have one petal. Use PVA glue or glue dots - a glue stick isn't going to cut the mustard here. Make up four more while this is drying.

9. Once each petal is glued and dried you can assemble the flower. Glue the straight edge of the petal and place the next petal on it. When it is dry, glue on the next petal.

Once you have made one petal, the next will be easier and so on until you will be making kusudama flowers in your sleep! But if you get stuck, just ask me!

Love Mrs Jones x