Modular Origami Pinwheel
This modular origami pinwheel is like a cross between a pinwheel and a ninja star. It also looks like a weapon used in some of the kung-fu movies.
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When I first tried this, I too thought it was difficult. The assembly can be tricky the first time you try it, but hopefully with the pictures below, it'll be pretty straightforward to you.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 1: Start with a square 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm) origami paper color side down.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 2: Fold in half on the horizontal axis. Crease well and unfold.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 3: Now fold both the bottom right and top right to the center crease.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 4: Fold in half, bring the top half to meet the bottom half.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 5: Now fold along the diagonal on the dash line as shown below. Fold Tip A over to Tip B. Crease well.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 6: Unfold and we'll now make an insider reverse fold. Unfold the paper slightly and push the left side inside the paper.
The above is the unit we'll use to assemble the modular pinwheel. We need to make 8 of those. So start folding!
OK, I have made 8 of those units...4 are brown, and the other 4 are yellow.
As an incentive, here is a picture of the finished origami and what we're striving for!
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 7: OK, time to start assembling. I will start with a yellow unit and join the brown unit to it.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 8: Open up the yellow unit front flap. Place the brown unit inside and close the yellow flap. Note that the bottom edges line up.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 9: We need to hold the units together. Wrap the yellow tips around the brown paper like in the pictures below.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 10: Now let's use the 3rd unit, another yellow. Open up the top brown flap. Place the yellow unit in it. Close the flap and wrap the brown tips around the yellow unit.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 11: ROTATE the entire unit counter-clockwise 90 degrees so that you see the following. Notice how the yellow is now in horizontal again, like when we first started assembling in Step 7? So, we'll be joining the units the same way again like in Steps 7 to 10!
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 12: OK, use the 4th unit, a brown color one, and place in between the yellow flaps. Wrap the yellow tips around the brown unit.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 13: The yellow unit is next. This is now the 5th unit we're assembling. Place the yellow unit between the brown flaps. Wrap the brown tips around the yellow unit.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 14: ROTATE entire unit counter-clockwise 90 degrees so that you have the following. Once again, we have a horizontal yellow unit (top).
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 15: We'll add a brown unit, the 6th unit, to the yellow one. Wrap the yellow tips around the brown unit.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 16: OK, the 2nd last unit now. Attached a yellow unit to the brown unit. Wrap the brown tips around the yellow unit.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 17: ROTATE the entire piece counter-clockwise 90 degrees. We're going to add the brown unit to the yellow unit. This time, the bottom flap of the brown unit needs to go behind the 1st yellow unit. Tuck the flaps in.
Modular Origami Pinwheel Step 18: FLIP entire piece over. See how there are 2 loose tips on Units 7 and 8? Tuck those tips under and you're done!
Here's the completed modular origami pinwheel!
Front:
Back:
Thanks to reader, Andreas, for his modular origami pinwheel:
From reader in Ireland:
From Will of Hertfordshire:
From Surabhi of Delhi:
From reader in Toronto:
From reader in Chicago "I felt so proud of myself after making this!"
From Teodor in Lasi "This is a good modular pinwheel,but i was stuck at assembly :D.When i finished it i was so happy!"
