More Mette Rings

Three Mette Rings
Three Mette Rings

Yes, I have Mette Rings on the mind.

I don’t know whether I like this wreath better than the other Paper Wreath style I have made. They are different. The spiky paper wreath is kind of like high heels while the Mette Ring feels solid to me.

The photo (left) shows the ones I have made. The one I used for the tutorial isn’t finished and I am not sure what happened to the legs I did finish.

I haven’t tried this pattern with large (12×12) pieces of paper yet. I did start one using the leftover 8.5 inch x 8.5 inch pieces from the last paper wreath. I only have 14 sheets left so I have to figure something out for the last four sheets I need. I am sure I have some coordinating paper, but finding and cutting it to the right size are the barrier.

You can see more of these rings in different configurations on IG. People do amazing things with multiples.

Christmas Mette Ring

Christmas Mette Ring
Christmas Mette Ring

After I worked on the pink and purple Mette Ring, I realized that I had some others I hadn’t showed you.

This shows a Mette Ring I made several weeks ago. I was thinking of DH’s cousin who doesn’t want us to make her fudge as a gift anymore. Who doesn’t like fudge? She is concerned about her weight and her SO’s diabetes, so I suppose I can understand. Still, why not just give it away rather than go on and on about it.

This pack of paper I have has a weird assortment of colors and the Mette Ring takes 18 sheets, so there is a wide variety of ‘reds’ and greens.I think it looks nice, though that fuchsia does stick out a bit.

If I remember, I will give this to the cousin instead of fudge. If I am very diligent, I will make 10 of these then I won’t have to make fudge.  😉

Pink and Purple Mette Ring

Pink & Purple Mette Ring
Pink & Purple Mette Ring

Monday was a really long day. Mondays have turned out to be kind of crazy days at work. I try not to schedule meetings or anything extra so I can just plow through what comes in. Do you think people think about work all weekend? I never think about work – at least not in a concrete way unless something is really bothering me.

Anyway, I wasn’t up for finding some great project for Virtual Craft Night or even working on one of the handwork projects I have going. I pulled out paper, found the tutorial for the Mette Ring and folded some paper. I was thinking about my childhood bedroom, which was pink and lavender, when I chose the paper. I didn’t have enough pink and purple, so I threw in some blue. This is the fourth Mette Ring/Mette Wreath I have made.

 

New Paper Wreath

Marquee Love Paper Wreath
Marquee Love Paper Wreath

While I was waiting for pages to load ‘at work’ (e.g. one part of my workroom) I folded the legs for a new paper wreath. I find that keeping my hands busy keeps me from fretting.

This wreath has not been glued together yet, nor does it have a home. I may give it to my friend who will be NSGW First Lady starting….soon (it should be May, but Grand Parlor is postponed). She’ll need some prizes for various events and the paper wreaths are popular.

The combination of paper designs are kind of crazy! I don’t know if people will like them.

Marquee Love Paper
Marquee Love Paper

Since the S-i-P started, I have been getting rid of one thing per day. Often this means I clear out a drawer and get rid of several things. I have also been finding things, such as the paper I used for this wreath.

The sheets are 8.5 in by 8.5 in, which means the wreath is smaller than the other wreaths I have made.

This paper is also slightly thinner than the cardstock I have used. I have used copier paper and it works fine. I have never tried tissue paper, but every other paper I have used works. Fabric also works, but you need to augment it. Try making your own using the tutorial.

Mette Wreath Tutorial

Need a break from the holiday frenzy? Paper folding is very soothing. It doesn’t require machinery of any type and you can fold at the cafe while drinking some coffee or hot chocolate and staying away from crazy family antics for a few minutes.

I spent some time folding a Mette Ring the other night when DH was watching football after he spent a day at the mall. I had found the pattern some time ago and decided it would be a good way to do something and stay off my feet, which were tired and sore.

Mette Ring
Mette Ring

Supplies

  • 18 pieces of square paper*
  • bone folder (optional, but highly recommended if you are using thick paper)

Make 18 units. Directions below makes one unit.

Use two pieces of paper.

My paper has a lavender front (right side) and a white back (wrong side)

Start by turning the paper over so the back faces up.

Fold the paper in half
Fold the paper in half

Fold square piece of paper in half

Fold the paper twice
Fold the paper twice

Open up the piece of paper and fold it in half the other way. You will have a cross made of folds on the paper. If you are a quiltmaker, you will see a four patch.

Fold two top corners towards the center on the diagonal

Fold bottom up to meet the two corners
Fold bottom up to meet the two corners

Fold bottom up to meet the two corners. The edge of the paper will be even with the original folded center line and the break between the two triangles from the previous fold.

Turn the piece over
Turn the piece over

In the above photo you have two rectangles. They are just made from folds.

Turn the piece over.

Fold the bottom rectangles
Fold the bottom rectangles

Fold the rectangle-bottom section back onto the triangle portion so the right sides of the paper are together and you can see the wrong side.

The next part is a little tricky, but only to explain. The basic idea is to fold the topmost rectangle in half lengthwise.

Fold the top rectangle in half
Fold the top rectangle in half
Fold rectangle in half
Fold rectangle in half

Fold the top rectangle in half lengthwise wrong sides together. N.B. In the bottom photo, I flipped the unit over so I could show you how the folds look.

 
Fold the bottom rectangle up
Fold the bottom rectangle up

Turn the piece over again. The opening between the two triangles will be on top.

Fold the bottom back on to the triangles
Fold the bottom back on to the triangles

Fold the bottom rectangle up, covering part of the opening made by the diagonal folded corners/triangles

Turn the piece over again, so the larger rectangle is on the bottom.

You will need to move the thin rectangle out of the way. Fold the two corners down and on the diagonal so the back of the paper is not showing

Tuck the corners under the smaller rectangle
Tuck the corners under the smaller rectangle

Tuck the corners under the smaller rectangle. See an additional image on Mette Pedersen’s site.

Fold the thin rectangle back up. You will have a shape that looks like a paper hat

Fold the piece in half vertically
Fold the piece in half vertically

Fold the piece in half vertically along the opening between the two triangles.

Tuck one leg into the next leg in the little pockets formed by the second folded corners
 

Now: go practice. It took me at least a ring and a half to really get the hang of folding the units. These make great gifts and tree ornaments.

Resources:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item you click on. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Paper Wreaths with Friends

Paper Wreaths with friends
Paper Wreaths with friends

I spent a happy evening with friends, catching up and solving the world’s problems. As an added bonus one of them wanted to learn to make paper wreaths. She had found another tutorial (not mine!) and brought paper.

I love making these paper wreaths as they look so impressive. I want to enter another in the fair, but the large one has been entered twice. The judges commented that they had seen it before. Thus, I decided to make a series of small ones. Either I will make a mobile or some kind of wall sculpture. Not sure yet.

It was fun to work with my friends, share paper and tools as well as give them the tips and tricks I have learned.

CQFA Unconventional Materials Exercise

Rhonda led us in an exercise using unconventional materials, e.g. not fabric. For me, these materials were unconventional in terms of quiltmaking, but familiar in terms of creativity. I love working with paper and don’t get to do it enough.

Rhonda brought quite a bit of stuff for us to work with, but not enough that we spent the whole time rummaging for materials. I saw a shiny binder clip as she was introducing us to the materials and an idea started to form in my head.

Everyone’s pieces came out so differently. It was exciting to see the creativity at work. I didn’t take photos of all of the pieces. I was too engrossed in my own work, but each of them were different and exciting in their own way.

CQFA Unconventional Materials Exercise
CQFA Unconventional Materials Exercise

I am pleased with the way my piece came out. I am also pleased that I was able to finish. Ever since I saw Nancy’s map piece for the last show and talked with Maureen about her work with maps in her collage group, I have been wanting to work with maps. I am going to check to see if there is a category at the fair that will be suitable for this piece.

Another Paper Wreath

Paper Wreath n.5
Paper Wreath n.5

This is the fourth paper wreath I have made during the last few months. I really like making these, though I find making one rather than three at once is a lot easier on my hands.

This was another door prize for the Ladies Luncheon at Grand Parlor (that was one of Monday’s events). I have a tutorial so you can make your own.

Origami Starburst Wreath Again

Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst Wreath
Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst Wreath

The other day I posted the Origami Starburst tutorial with a second wreath picture at the bottom.

The top picture was made out of paper and very straight forward. After I made several starbursts out of paper, I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I made one out of fabric.

The Starburst in the photo is made from charm squares from the Fresh Cuts line of fabric. You can use any size square of any 16 fabrics as long as the squares are allthe same size. It took some special maneuvering to get it to work.

You make the legs the same way you do the paper legs except you need to back them with some kind of interfacing like ShapeFlex. The interfacing makes the squares less floopy. Once your 16 Charm Squares have interfacing only to within a 1/4 or 1/8 inch from the edge, spray each square with Mary Ellen’s Best Press, so the squares are quite stiff. Once the squares are stiff, you are ready to start folding each square of fabric per the tutorial. After each fold you will need to press each fold. Press each fold really well and, then, spray each fold with Mary Ellen’s Best Press or something similar to keep them stiff and in place.

Once you start to put the legs together, you need to glue with Aleene’s or Elmer’s glue as you do it, being very careful to only put the glue on the tips of the legs. Let the piece dry thoroughly before trying to pick it up.

The paper starbursts stay together even if not glued, but the fabric starbursts are too heavy and too floopy, so glue them right away.

The fabric starbursts are much more three dimensional, much more fragile and much heavier than their paper counterparts, so decorate with and use them with care. They make great gifts.

Tutorial: Paper Wreath

Origami Paper Wreath
Origami Paper Wreath

I was so thrilled to find a tutorial on the origami starburst (paper wreath). It is a great tutorial, but I like to do my own, as you know. I made several of these and have enough paper to make a few more. We might use these to give out as gifts at the Ladies Lunch at DH’s Grand Parlor. These make great hostess gifts.

Supplies

  • 16 pieces SQUARE paper (any size) – almost all paper is suitable except very thin paper. Super thick paper will be hard to fold
  • bone folder
  • glue (Elmer’s or Aleene’s are both fine)

Nota bene: you can use fabric. If you do, you will also need the following items:

  • Mary Ellen’s Best Press
  • ShapeFlex or other lightweight interfacing
  • 16 square patches (any size)

Directions:

Make legs:

Fold square paper in half
Fold square paper in half

1. Take square piece of paper and fold paper in half.

Fold square paper in half
Fold square paper in half

2. Open and fold in half the other way

Fold corners into center
Fold corners into center
Fold corners into center
Fold corners into center

3. Fold corners in to center point

Use bone folder
Use bone folder

4. Use your bone folder to make the folds nice and sharp

With a point facing you, fold the bottom half up to meet the center crease.
With a point facing you, fold the bottom half up to meet the center crease.

5. With a point facing you, fold the bottom half up to meet the center crease.

Fold to a kite shape
Fold to a kite shape

6. Do the same to the other point. Now you will have a piece that looks like a kite.

Fold bottom of kite up
Fold bottom of kite up

7. Flip the piece so the open bits are face down. Fold the short piece so you can see the open spot between the folded piece again.

Fold in half
Fold in half
Fold in half
Fold in half

8. Fold leg in half with short side out. That opening will be where you put the other legs.

Make Wreath

1. Make 16 legs (directions above)

2. Put a little glue on to the tip of one leg

3. Insert each leg into 2 holes in another leg to make four quarters

4. Glue tip of each leg until you have a circle or wreath.

5. Before the glue dries, arrange the wreath so the inner circle is smooth.

Now you can carefully hang your wreath on the wall

Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst
Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst

Origami Starburst

A long time ago, I met up with a friend and she taught me to make folded paper stars. Later, I found out that they are actually called starbursts.

Back in the day, I only had copy paper and I made a practice star from that. You need 16 squares of paper to make one starburst, so it is not an insignificant amount of paper and I didn’t have that much pretty paper on hand. I was pretty proud of that simple white star. At some point, I glued it together.

It was a good technique and the results are impressive, so one Christmas, not long after, DH and I folded up bunches of legs to make ornaments for gifts. We also made some larger ones as gifts and Christmas passed. Then the process kind of fell off my radar and I forgot how to make these starbursts. Sadly, I couldn’t figure out how to make them by reengineering, because I glued the one I had left together.

So, time passed, but I kept looking at that star at the top of my design wall. I started to become obsessed by making one again. I searched the web and couldn’t find instructions. I was infuriated. I am a librarian, for goodness sake, I should have been able to find one measley set of instrustions.

I firmly put the problem into the back of my mind to torture me there – uh, rumble around – and let my subconscious work on it.

One day I was on a boring call and clicked over to Pinterest to peruse while I listened. Suddenly, I saw a folded paper star!!! It finally dawned on me to search Pinterest and after trying ‘starburst’, within moments, I found instructions on a blog!!! I know I reported on this in the last V& S post.

For awhile I basked in the knowledge that I had the instructions and could make a starburst anytime I wanted.

Last week, I decided to make one to see if works. Now I can’t really stop. I haven’t been doing much scrapbooking lately, so I took some paper and made a first star. I cut the paper to 8.5″ squares and made a pretty big starburst.

Origami Starburst
Origami Starburst

Next I went, coupon in hand, and bought some special pieces of 12″x12″ scrapbook paper and make them into another even more giant starburst. The paper I picked wasn’t matchy-matchy, but it reminded me of a line of fabric that kind of had a Paris theme with lots of pink and black. I just felt like these were the right patterns and motifs.

Paper is fun and everything, but I have a lot of fabric and I began wondering if I could make a starburst from fabric. I let the idea rattle around in my head and decided that one big problem was cutting 32 pieces of square fabric – well 16 pieces of fabric and 16 pieces of interfacing. Regardless of how much I cut in other projects, it seemed daunting for this starburst. I think it was a problem in my mind, because of the uncertainty of whether it would work.

Finally, I came up with charm squares. I got a Fresh Cuts charm pack out of my drawer and picked out 16 squares that I thought would work together. I worked on it at Sew Day and then finished it at home. You need Flatter or Best Press to make the pieces really flat.

Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst
Fresh Cuts Origami Starburst

The idea worked. I think the starburst came out really well. It is a little bright and cheerful. The only thing I need to think about is how to keep it together. Normally, the tension keeps them together, but the starburst wreath is kind of fragile if it gets handled too much. Sewing or gluing are my options.