How to Make Origami Paper Dolls - Version One

Aren't these little origami dolls sweet? Want to make some of your own? Follow my step-by-step tutorial and you'll soon have a whole collection of kimono dolls to decorate a scrapbook page, make a pretty greeting card, or attach to a gift package. Have fun!

A couple of things before we begin:
I used "washi" (Japanese paper made of fiber so it has more of a cloth-like texture) for the boy doll. I used a paper pattern I got from Creative Park for the girl doll. I simply printed the pattern on plain old printer paper and cut it to size. It worked great, but if you have access to washi, I would certainly reccommend using it.

An important Japanese cultural note: Please fold the Kimono layers as shown (left side first, then right side). Right side first is funeral attire.

Kneeling Origami Kimono Doll

Assemble your materials:

You will need:

black crepe paper for hair - 1 piece cm x 2.5 cm and 1 piece 4 cm x 3.5 cm

white cardstock for head - a circle about 2.5 cm across (the size of a quarter)

white cardstock for neck - a rectangle about 1/2 cm x 5 cm

paper for collar - three 5 cm x 5 cm squares

paper for kimono - one 10 cm x 10 cm square

paper for underskirt - one 5cm x 5 cm square

Glue

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Step One: Assemble the neck and collar:

1. Fold the three squares in half, into a triangle. Put a tiny bit of glue down the center of two triangles.

2. Layer the triangles as shown above.

3. Flip the layered triangle stack over and glue neck to the center.

4. Begin folding the top left flap across the neck at the angle shown. Repeat with the right side.

5. Repeat until all layers have been folded. You may use a tiny drop of glue to secure your collar layers, if you prefer.
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Step Two: Make the Kimono

1. Fold your 10 x 10 square in half, making a triangle. Fold the top left corner in to meet the center of the right side of the triangle.

2. Repeat with top right corner.

3. Unfold your triangle and position your neck/collar piece. Refold your kimono and adjust the collar as necessary. Secure neck using a tiny drop of glue.

4. Fold bottom flaps up and crease. Unfold and tuck into the "pocket" made by the top kimono layer.

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Step Three: Assemble the underskirt:

1. Fold 5cm x 5cm square into a triangle. Unfold back to square and fold top corner down to center. Unfold to square. Fold bottom corner up to the crease you just made, and fold corners in, as shown above.
2. Fold both bottom corners in and secure with tiny drops of glue.
3. Slide underskirt into kimono pocket, leaving about 1cm showing at the bottom of the kimono.
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Step Four: Create your hairstyle
1. Place cardboard circle on top of 4cm x 3.5cm square, as shown.

2. Wrap hair around circle and secure with tiny drops of glue at the "temples".

3. Flip hair back as shown in picture above.

4. Glue on bangs (the smaller of the crepe paper rectangles.

5. Fold bangs over back of head and glue into place.

Final Step:

Position head on neck, trimming neck if necessary. Glue into place... You've now created your first Origami Kimono Doll! You can use your creativity in making different hairstyles for your dolls, using shorter hair for boys, adding hair ornaments or bows, or even embellishing your dolls with glitter or ribbon. I kept my doll "as is" and attached her to a plain brown greeting card with one tiny dragonfly floating above her. I think the simplicity of this is beautiful.

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Please come back next week for the next version of my origami kimono dolls. Until then...

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Hugs and blessings~

~~~Anne