A traditional kimono: white strips make the collar, and one squash at the end opens the sleeves. Patterned paper looks lovely.
Why this level: Mostly simple valley folds, with one squash at the end to open the sleeves.
You need: 1 sheet of origami paper, Patterned paper (chiyogami) is even nicer
Preview Preview: checked on screen; real-paper verification is in progress.
People in Japan have folded tiny paper clothes for a long time. A Japanese kindergarten book from 1884–85 shows how to fold a short jacket called a hanten, and in 1893 a children’s magazine showed how to fold a kimono from a hand towel. There are many ways to fold a paper kimono; this simple one, with white strips for the collar, is known as a traditional design.
Did you know? The first recorded paper “kimono” was really a hanten — a short, padded jacket.
White side up. Fold in half side to side and unfold.
Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge.
Fold a thin strip (about 1 cm) along the top edge through both layers, then unfold.
Fold the two bottom corners up at a slant so the side edges lie along the strip crease.
Fold the front layer’s strip down along its crease so it covers the corner tips. Then turn the model over.
Fold this strip down along its crease too, lining it up with the other one. The white strips become the collar.
Starting at the middle of the top edge, fold the top-left and top-right corners down at a slant so the top edge lies on the center line. Then turn over.
Fold the lower half of the middle band up along the middle line. At the same time fold each side flap in half on that line and swing it up and out, pressing flat. The top becomes wide sleeves and the white collar shows below.
Turn the model over: your kimono is done! The white collar meets in a V at the neck and runs down the front.