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Last updated 6/11/2025

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I define Tressage (braiding) as the folding into braids of more than one strip of paper.

There is a separate page for The Additional Occupation of Folding Borders and Corners from Single Strips

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In Japan (and in publications by Japanese authors)

1951

There is a page of braided designs in 'Origami to Kirinuki' by Saburo Ueda, which was published by Kokkado in Tokyo, most probably in 1951.

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In Europe and the Americas

1868

A passge in 'Der Kindergarten in seinen Wesen dargestellt' (The Kindergarten in its essence) by August Koehler was published by Hermann Bohlau in Weimer in 1868, states: ' 'Likewise, after the braiding techniques were discovered, braiding techniques could be arranged from easy to difficult ...' which clearly suggests that these braiding techniques were both new at that time and unknown to Froebel.

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1873

As far as I know this technique first occurs as a Froebelian occupation in 'Exercices et Travaux pour les Enfants Selon la Méthode et les Procédés de Pestalozzi et de Froebel' by Fanny and Charles Delon, which was published by Librairie Hachette in Paris in 1873. Inter alia the author says 'The strip of coloured paper is the first work instrument we place in the child's hands' ... 'at about the same time as the ball game' but observes that 'For teaching braiding is almost useless.' Braids made from two strips are the easiest, then those made from three and finally from one.

Braids folded from Two Strips.

(No 3 is the 'escalier du souris' ie The Witch's Ladder)

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Braids folded from Three Strips

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Braided designs also appear:

1879

In 'Manual Teorico-Practico de Educacion Parvulos' by D Pedro de Alcantara Garcia, which was published in Madrid by the Imprenta del Colegio Nacional de Sordo-mudos y de Ciegos in 1879.

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1887

In 'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by M. Coste et J. Lapassade, which was published by Lafon, Vve Ribaut et Tonnet in Pau and A Jeande in Paris in 1887.

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1889

In 'Jeux et Travaux Enfantins - Première partie: Le Monde en Papier' by Marie Koenig and Albert Durand, which was published by Librairie Classique A. Jeande in Paris in 1889, contains some examples of braiding, some of which are made using split strips or by weaving single strips onto split strips.

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1890

In 'Exercises Methodiques de Travaux Manuels' by Jean Boogaerts, which was published in Belgium and France in 1890.

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1913

In 'Trabajo Manual' by C Champy Alvear, which was published by Cabaut y Cia in Buenos Aires in 1913, contains instructions for various types of braided designs.

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1939

In 'Trabajo Manual Educativo' by Araminta V Aramburu, which was published by F Crespillo in Buenos Aires in 1939, contains instructions for the folding of strips into Greek Key patterns and for braiding four strips of paper together.

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1940

In 'El Plegado y Cartonaje en la Escuela Primaria' by Antonio M Luchia and Corina Luciani de Luchia, which was published by Editorial Kapelusz in Buenos Aires in 1940 contains a page showing specimen designs, although there is no accompanying explanatory text.

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1951

In Plegado laminas published by Della Penna, April 1951.

Trabajos preliminares

1960

In 'Paper Folding Fun' by Robert Harbin, which was published by Oldbourne in London in 1960, contains an illustration of various designs folded from single and double strips

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