Origami Day-2: the cranes are flying
What can you make with just one square piece of paper? Apparently an awful lot only if you’ve enough patience to fold it a few times 
Yesterday I was at my neighbor’s home. Their little girl was incredibly busy – folding paper cranes, as I soon found out. “Why so many?”, I asked. “I’m making a senbazuru”. It’s a group of one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. The senbazuru comes from an ancient Japanese legend that says a wish will be granted to anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes.
Attagirl!
When I was little, all I made were a few paper boats and airplanes..and although my paper boats often sank without a trace and my paper planes seldom took off , it was my paper cranes that never failed to flap their wings and delight all..or so I always thought
Reminiscing my good old ‘talent’, I put together a hanging mobile with paper cranes. Here’s what I used:
- Square color paper (I used yellow post-it sticky notes because that’s what I could lay my hands on when I raided the stationery stock)
- Chopsticks
- White thread
- A ceiling hook
- Dollops of patience
For paper cranes mobile:
- Fold the paper cranes as shown here on wikiHow.
- Thread the needle. Suspend the cranes vertically on the thread by pushing the needle through their bodies from the bottom towards the top. Tie a knot above and below each crane to hold it in place.
- Create a cross with chopsticks by tying them together at the center to make a base for the mobile.
- Tie threads to each end of the chopsticks and join the threads at the top by tying a knot. This is where you will attach the mobile to the ceiling.
- Tie the threads containing the origami cranes to each side of the chopstick cross until you are satisfied with the design of your mobile.
- Attach the mobile to the ceiling using a ceiling hook.
It’s pretty awesome when the suspended cranes ‘fly’ with the breeze…so worth it!
Posted in Flickr Comments’ Story Challenge: Letter “O”.
It’s so beautiful!!! I love origami!!! I ‘ll try making my senbazuru in the weekend!
Thanks, Ioanna! I find it rather therapeutic. I hope the senbazuru brings you loads of luck
Happy folding!!
I could use its therapeutic action!
I will totally do it!
That’s awesome. I haven’t make any paper cranes in years. I think it would be fun to make some more
Thanks! It sure is fun to refresh memories again after all these years and surprisingly you really don’t forget how to fold a paper crane
This is really beautiful, Deepali. I love to look at origami. It’s so clever.
Thanks! they sure are a pretty cute sight
Origami!! Lovely mobile!
I enjoy this art. Cranes have significant meaning in Japan. For part of my wedding decorations, I made several origami cranes.
Thanks Fergiemoto. I really admire those who have a talent for this art. I’m guessing you’re one of them
I can manage to fold only a few paper cranes at a time. I understand the Cranes are used in auspicious occasions and bring good luck. I’m trying to learn more about their real meaning…
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Oh wow, very artsy indeed. I have a friend who does these fantabulous origami artwork, wish I could learn myself.
Thanks Myra. I too admire those who can really make fantabulus origami or any art. I can only manage a few odd figures that are doable
the origami game
- with just one square piece of paper
- I’ll never be patient enough for this!