The hibiscus is the state flower of Hawaii.
The Japanese word "kirigami" translates to "cut paper." Think of those childhood days of folding paper, cutting random shapes and opening the paper into a one-of-a-kind snowflake. That is kirigami. More difficult kirigami involves cutting paper and standing it up to make 3D designs that pop out from the paper. Beginners to kirigami should start with simple cutout designs, such as flowers. One kirigami flower is the hibiscus, a flower with five rounded petals. Use the flowers to decorate a room for a luau or to decorate gifts. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Fold the paper in half horizontally to create a rectangle.
2. Fold the bottom right corner up to meet the top edge, making a triangle, and unfold. Fold the top right corner down to meet the bottom edge, making a triangle, and unfold. There should be an X-shaped crease on the paper.
3. Fold the bottom left tip so it touches the center of the X. Fold the same tip so it touches and lines up with the left edge.
4. Fold the bottom right tip up past the top edge so that the bottom edge lines up with the edge you folded in the previous step.
5. Flip the paper over and fold it in half vertically. Fold the right edge to the left. You are folding between the two edges that meet in the middle. The result is several layers with a pointed end at the bottom.
6. Cut through all layers from the right side of the paper to the left. Make a rounded cut that begins just below the top edge of the top layer of paper.
7. Cut a small triangle shape from the bottom tip of the paper. Make a 45-degree angle cut from the one side of the paper, then a second 45-degree angle cut from the second side so the two cuts meet. Remove the triangle-shaped paper.
8. Open the paper completely to reveal the hibiscus flower.
Tags: Fold bottom, 45-degree angle, 45-degree angle from, angle from, bottom edge