The Kirigami Project by Omiyage

If you're on the lookout for a relaxing papercraft to try, you might enjoy a visit to the Omiyage blog where you can catch up with The Kirigami Project. Since the first of the year, Marisa Edghill, co-owner of Omiyage [edit: no longer available], a supplier of crafty paper goods - origami paper, washi tape, and more - has been sharing a free kirigami pattern each week.

Perhaps you've heard the term kirigami and wondered how it differs from origami... while origami is folding paper, kirigami is folding and cutting. Have you ever made a paper snowflake? Congratulations, you've already entered the fun world of kirigami!

Thin paper is best - origami paper works well, as does tissue paper. Heavy paper leads to bulky folds and layers that shift when you try to cut... whoops, there goes the perfect symmetry. I suggest starting with this Omiyage post, where you can scroll down to see diagrams of 4, 5, and 6-fold processes, and also have a look at this very short video.

Marisa's designs are impressive in that quite a few resemble specific items, not just random, pretty shapes... abstract reasoning is obviously one of her strong suits! She has devised patterns from camellias to campfires and even kissing birds on top of birdhouses, just to name a few.

The more cuts that are made, the lacier the result, but Marissa proves that even very simple designs can be appealing. I'm a fan of these bold, graphic arrows.

I asked Marisa for ideas on what to do with kirigami... aside from enjoying the in-the-moment cutting process, of course. She answered that the shapes can be stacked to use as gift adornments or strung as garlands. You can even frame your favorites.

Here Marisa had the idea to transform a batch of kirigami shapes into colorful envelopes by photocopying them.

Visit the Omiyage blog to try out a new kirigami design each week and then, if you like, share the fruits of your labor with the hashtag #thekirigamiproject via social media.