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Last updated 27/11/2023

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The material dealing with the gifts was first published in five separate volumes between 1877 and 1880 then consolidated into a single volume, which we now know as Part 1, in 1881. Part 2, dealing with the occupations, was probably first published in 1882. Part 2 contains chapters on Paper-Interlacing, Mat-Weaving, Paper Folding, Paper-Cutting and Mounting and Cardboard Modelling, all of which include some element of paperfolding.

Illustrations on a grey background are taken from Part 2 of the 1882 first edition, and were kindly provided to me by Joan Sallas.

Illustrations on a white background are from Part 2 of the 1892 third edition, a full copy of which can be accessed here.

As far as I know there are no substantive differences between the paperfolding content of the first three editions.

A full copy of the chapter on Paper Folding (taken from the 1882 edition) can be found at the foot of this page. For full details of the other chapters please see the full text of the 1892 edition.

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Analysis

The Seventh Occupation - Paper Folding

This chapter contains a long introduction (which is well worth reading through) and mostly textual instructions for making various Forms of Life, Forms of Symmetry and Forms of Knowledge. The term Forms of Beauty appears early in the Introduction but after that the term Forms of Symmetry is used instead.

Forms of Knowledge

Pages 284 to 296 specifically explain how to develop Forms of Knowledge from squares. However there are also references to other Forms of Knowlege (whether named as such or not) made from squares, oblongs and equilateral triangles throughout the chapter. Many of these forms are given the names of common objects and so also treated as Forms of Life.

Those forms of knowledge worthy of separate note are:

How to Construct a Diamond and an Equilateral Triangle

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Constructing a Regular hexagon

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Constructing a Regular Octagon

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Forms of Symmetry (Forms of Beauty)

Many of the Forms of Symmetry explained in this book are made by treating simple paperfolds as tiles and laying them together to form compound forms. Designs of this kind developed from the square can be found on pages 271 to 273 and on pages 276 and 277, from oblongs on page 280 and from the equilateral triangle on page 284.

A few single sheet Forms of Symmetry developed from oblongs are explained on page 280 and from the equilateral triangle on pages 282 and 283. Of particular note is:

The Interwoven Star of David

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Forms of Symmetry Developed from the Square

The development of these forms is shown on pages 273 to 276. The first two sets of forms are developed from the two sides of the Double Blintz Basic Form (called the single ground form here).

The third set of forms are developed from the Windmill Base (called the table-cloth ground-form here):

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Forms of Life

Most of the Forms of Life are folded from single sheets of paper, whether square, oblong or triangular, but this book also includes Folds of Life made by using folded paper shapes as tiles. Examples of these can be found on pages 296 to 299 below.

From the Square - First Series

The Book / Tent / Tunnel / Roof

(Simply a square of paper folded in half edge to edge)

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The Window

(Simply a square folded in half edge to edge, then unfolded, in both directions.)

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The Table

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Trough for a Horse

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The Singing Book

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The Footstall or Bench

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At this point there is a note that this form can be further developed into a Square Bottle, a Pocketbook and a Schoolbag, but there are no accompanying illustrations to show what these forms look like.

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The Trough or Manger

(A preparatory design for the pig.)

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The Pig

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The House

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The Sofa

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Second Series

The Mountain

(Simple a square folded diagonally in half.)

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The Shawl

(not illustrated)

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The Cow Catcher

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The Moth or Butterfly

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The Sunshade

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The Soldier's Cap

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The Spool or Yarn Winder

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The Balloon or Snowball (The Waterbomb)

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The Arrow (The Paper Dart)

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The Bellows

(Illustrated, but not named, with the comment 'Various kinds of 'balloons' can also be made.')

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Third Series

The Union Jack

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The Boat

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The Flag

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An Open Envelope

(The open flap of which can be closed to create a letter.)

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Designs from the Single Groundform

The Salt Cellar

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The Half Closed Flower (The Seedpod)

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The King's Crown

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The Cake Dish (The Pepperpot)

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The Open Flower (The Open Seedpod)

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The Queen's Crown

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The Portmanteau (The Travel Bag)

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The Kite

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The Bat

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The Bird (The Cocotte or Pajarita)

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The Duck

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The Tablecloth

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The Windmill

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The Cigar Case or Card Case

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The Double Boat

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The Boat with Fishbox

(Note that in this version the ends of the front hull have been folded up in preparation for folding the Closed Box.)

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The Double Fishbox or Pair of Panniers for a Donkey (The Portfolio)

(Note that in this version the ends of both hulls have been folded up in preparation for folding the Open Box.)

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Grandmamma's Reticule

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The Large, Square Box (The Open Box)

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The Picture Frame

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The Firm Box (The Solid Box)

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The Looking Glass (The Mirror)

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The Chinese Junk (The Gondola)

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Designs from the Double Groundform:

The Square Box Having Two 'Lids' (The Junk Box)

(Note that this design is produced from a double boat folded from a blintzed windmill base. One flap is pulled out and folded to produce a 'little pocket with an overhanging rectangle' and the other flap pulled out and folded similarly to produce 'a double pocket similar to the 'paniers' of the First Series'. The box is made by flattening out this form.

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The Gondola (The Chinese Junk)

(The Chinese Junk is then developed in the normal way via the blintz windmill base versions of the picture frame and the mirror.)

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The Cross (and some decorative variations)

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The Purse (The Scent Bottle)

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The Muff

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The Vase

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The Vest (The Jacket)

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The Pair of Pants (The Trousers)

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The Pair of Boots

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The Doll (composed of various folded and non-folded parts glued together)

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The Chair

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Designs from Napkins

Note that the Cross is also included here. None of the Napkin folds are named

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Designs from Oblongs

The Folds from Oblongs section is introduced with the comment 'The oblong is also used for paper-folding. Most of the Forms of Life derived from it were known before the days of our grandfathers.'

The Soldier's Hat - The Newspaper Hat

(an unusual variation made by folding one flap forwards and the other backwards)

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A smaller Soldier's Hat - The Pyramidal Hat

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The Paper Boat

(made in an unnecessarily complicated way by folding up the corners of the Pyramidal Hat rather than just opening the hat out)

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A Purse - The Mitre

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The Pencil Case

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The Hammer

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The Shovel

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The Fifth Occupation: Paper-Interlacing

This chapter not only includes Paper-Interlacing proper but also other activities which make use of long strips of paper. For full details see the full text of the 1892 edition.

Shapes made by gluing together paper cylinders

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The Churn

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The Horn (The Newspaper Sword)

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Other designs made by squashing similar drawn out spirals

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Fairy Steps (The Witches' Ladder)

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Stars (The Froebel Star)

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Paper Interlacing proper

Strips of paper are folded into thirds to increase their strength and are used either singly or in combinations of two or three strips to create wide variety of geometrical forms. For full details of these forms see full text of the 1892 edition.

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The Sixth Occupation: Weaving

This chapter includes material on weaving with folded strips and how to make fold and cut chevron designs. Those designs particularly worth noting are shown below. For other designs refer to the full text of the 1892 edition.

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The Woven Cross

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Fold and Cut Chevron Bookmark

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Fold and Cut Chevron Basket

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The Eighth Occupation: Paper-Cutting and Mounting

This chapter not only includes Paper-Cutting and Mounting proper but also other activities which depend on cutting. For full details see the full text of the 1892 edition.

Rings (Paper Chains)

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Windmill (The Cut and Fold Windmill)

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Fold, Cut and Fold Animals

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Paper-Cutting and Mounting proper

This section shows how to fold a square into an eight-layer right angle isosceles triangle which is then cut into in various predetermined ways. All the pieces are then opened out and mounted to create patterns.

The same thing can by starting with the Fold and One Cut Hexagon then folding it into a six-layer equilateral triangle.

The text also mentions the possibility of doing the same thing with circles. For full details see the full text of the 1892 version.

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The Tenth Occupation: Cardboard Modelling

Cardboard Modelling is the production of three-dimensional forms by folding up and gluing together cut out nets. Here are just a few examples of the types of cardboard modelling explained in this chapter. For further details reference should be made to the full text of the 1892 edition.

Boxes (Cut and Fold Boxes of various dimensions and shapes)

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Crystals (Cut and Fold Polyhedra)

Nets for various prisms and pyramids, all the Platonic solids, a truncated square-based pyramid, a cone and a cylinder.

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Forms of Life (produced by combining cut and fold geometric forms)

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Cut and Fold Furniture

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Selected Pages

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