This issue of the DIY column will be based around Mother’s Day and a gift for your mom with step-by-step instructions. Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 13 this year, so plan ahead and  work on a gift for her.

Origami Rose Cube:

1.) To begin, you will need six pieces of square paper. An even number of two different colors is best, as three of the papers will make up the rose, and the remainder are for the leaves.

2.) Take the paper you wish to be the color of your petals. Take one sheet and fold it in half upwards.

3.) Unfold, take the bottom end and fold the edge to the center crease you just created. Do the same to the top end, folding it down to the center crease. Now, after unfolding both sides, you should see four rectangles.

4.) Hold the square where the rectangles are vertical (up and down). Take the top right corner and fold it down to meet the first crease on the left. This should create a triangle shape, but one rectangle still is left exposed.

5.) Unfold and rotate upside down. Repeat the same process as before and unfold, now you should have two parallel diagonal creases across the square.

6.) Rotate the square so the rectangles are now horizontal (side to side). Fold the bottom right corner up, this is the triangle piece you folded earlier. Take the far left edge of the triangle and fold it along the first crease until it meets the second crease. The bottom will still be lifted, so if you haven’t already just smooth it down.

7.) Rotate to the other side and repeat the above step. Note that when you repeat the step you will have to lift the loose flap on the top right to properly fold the other side under it. They are meant to overlap, creating a diamond shape in the center with two loose end pieces on either side.

8.) Rotate the shape 90 degrees so that the ‘diamond shape’ is more of a square shape in the center. Flip the shape over so the middle line of the diamond shape on the other side is not visible.

9.) When you flip it over you should see the two loose flaps have a triangle on either side. Take these triangles and fold them down on both sides.

10.) Now, take the top right corner and fold it to the top left. This should create a right triangle on the top. Repeat to the bottom with the bottom corners, now you should have a square shape. Unfold the two triangles.

11.) Repeat steps 2-7 on two other sheets of square paper of the same color. Next, after all the petals are done, grab your other color which will be for the leaves of the rose.

12.) Take your first square of the new color and repeat steps 2-6 above. After these steps have been followed you will need to rotate the shape so the free rectangle (the rectangle that has nothing folded on it) is on the right side.

13.) Take the bottom right corner and fold it up to meet the crease that creates the free rectangle. Now you will have a triangle shape on the bottom, fold that triangle up along the edge of the square on the left side of the triangle that was folded previously. The tip of the triangle should still be in the center line and meet the top of that square.

14.) Rotate the shape 90 degrees clockwise. Take the bottom right corner, this should have nothing folded on it, and fold it along the diagonal crease that was created by repeat of step 5.

15.) Take the left edge of the shape and fold along the first crease and to the second. Noted it will require you to tuck it under the flap above it, and for you to fold it over the triangle on the left as you smooth it down like you would in step 6.

16.) Flip the shape over. Here, you will see the extended end on the left has a loose triangle, fold this triangle up. Now, take the left corner of the whole shape and fold it to meet the the bottom left corner.

17.) Now take the bottom right corner and fold it up so the bottom edge meets the center line/ edge of the triangle you previously folded. Unfold the square and triangle. Repeat steps 12-16 above on the other two sheets of the leaf color.

18.) Next, take two of the leave shapes that you already made. Hold the two leave shapes in each hand so that one of the big triangles is opposite the little triangle. Rotate the right shape to the left 90 degrees, the big triangle point should now be facing the left shape.

19.) Take the right shape and put the corner of the triangle into the open crease of the left shape. It should fit the triangle almost perfectly.

20.) Now take the third leave shape in the right hand with the big triangle on top, and put the triangle in the bottom open crease of the two connected petals. When finished, only the small triangles will be sticking out on top. On the bottom, there will be one big triangle sticking out.

21.) Fold the big triangle up and and tuck it into the open crease.You will get a half-box shape from this; unfold the little triangles. Set this aside until later.  

22.) Next grab two of your folded petals , on these the triangles are the same shape but be sure the open center of the middle shape faces towards you with the triangles vertical. Repeat steps 18-20 but on step 20 put the triangle in the top open crease of shape two instead of the bottom.   

23.) Now you should have two half-box shapes with both your primary color and secondary; grab one with each hand. Take your primary colored half-box, or your petal color, with the big triangles.

24.) By now you should have realized only big triangles go in open creases, so hold the boxes in the way that would go together to create a box. Tuck the remaining big triangles of the primary color half-box into the secondary half-box shape, leaving the small triangles on the secondary shape out still. Once all the big triangles are tucked in you should have a box with three small triangles on the bottom.

25.) The final part is to grab the open centers of the primary color and pull down and fold out. DON’T pull too much, or you will cause the shape to come undone; pull out just enough to get the shape of the rose.

26.) This is how you create the petals. With both thumbs and index fingers gently squeeze the inside of the flower inwards.To close the rose simply push the sides of the primary color back in . Thank you for following along, look for future projects!

Here is a video to follow along to:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXwjLkNXJsQ