Origami Boxes and More!

by Florence Temko

Like many of Temko’s books, Origami Boxes and More! is designed for beginners: easy to make and looks great. Her instructions include diagrams with arrows, dotted & dashed lines, and written instructions right under each step.

This book has a mix of models: open ended boxes, boxes with lids, bowls, gift bags, a picture frame, a weaved flower-pot cover, and instructions to wrap a bottle of wine. A total of 24 projects!

This book has some classic boxes that every origami box connoisseur should know: the Easiest Box (left) which is sometimes also called the Magazine box; the Classic Japanese Box (right) which is also called the Masu box; an All-Purpose Box (row 2: left); and a colorful Patchwork Box (right). The first 3 boxes require one sheet of paper for the lid and one sheet for the base. The Patchwork Box uses 4 pieces of paper for the lid and 4 pieces for the base.

In terms on open-ended boxes, this book gives instructions to make the Star Basket (row 3: left); a Desk Top basket (right); a cute basket made with a dollar bill (row 4: left) and a Row of Boxes (right). The Star Basket will surprise you as the flaps unfold into a radiating star. The Desk Top Basket looks like a Chinese food take-out container – very fun. The Money Basket, obviously, is quite small. The Row of Boxes is made with one sheet of paper but it is folded to have 3 compartments – all done with no cutting!

Temko also includes two cubes which can be used as boxes. The Color Cube (row 5: left) is also called the Sonobe Cube and it requires 6 sheets of paper to complete. The Box of Cards (right) is made with 18 playing cards.

Origami Boxes and More! continues with more complex models. The Banded Box (row 6: left) looks like it has a ribbon wrapped around it, but it doesn’t. It’s just folded to look that way! The One-Piece box (right) uses one sheet of paper to make a rectangular box that closes upon itself. The folds are trivial, but the final step is a bit tricky.

Don’t stop there. Included are the instructions to make a a Triangle Box (row 7: left); a Hexagon Box (right), and the Four Thirsty Birds bowl (middle). Not shown are: Mystery Box, Nested Boxes, Gift Bag, Triangle Gift Box, Flower Gift Wrap, Round Bowl, Five Happiness Bowl, Plant Pot Cover, and Stand-Up Frame.

In conclusion, this book has enough to keep you busy and entertained. The boxes range from easy to easy-intermediate in complexity and is a good introduction to the world of origami boxes.

• buy Origami Boxes here
• see book review of Origami Boxes by Tomoko Fuse
• see book review of Complete Origami by Eric Kenneway
• see book review of The Buck Book by Anne A Johnson
• click here if you want free, online diagrams for origami boxes
• see more book reviews here