SnipFold

Formal Spiral Camellia

Broad asymmetric overlapping petals rise through three staggered tiers to an upright center, supported by two folded paper bridges and framed by pointed ridged leaves.

Materials

  • 120-160 gsm petal paper
  • 180-220 gsm green card; smooth finish optional for leaves
  • Scissors
  • PVA glue
  • Ruler and protractor
  • Blunt scoring tool

Finished size: Approximately 125 x 120 x 40 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Print and cut

    Print at 100% actual size; confirm the 50 mm ruler. Cut all 27 pieces once. Use 120-160 gsm petal paper and 180-220 gsm card for disks, bridges and leaves. Score dashed folds before shaping.

  2. Mount the glossy-style leaves

    On L1 and L2 keep the 4 mm midrib flat and fold both wings down 22 degrees. Glue the first 12 mm of each midrib under B, roots 12 mm from its center, pointing at 145 and 225 degrees from the right-hand horizontal. Smooth green paper gives a glossy-style leaf; no coating is required. Dry flat for 5 minutes.

  3. Make the lower bridge

    R1 is 10 x 32 mm. Fold at 5, 11, 21 and 27 mm: its two 5 mm feet stay horizontal, two 6 mm walls stand vertical, and its 10 mm roof is horizontal. Center the roof over B; glue both 10 x 5 mm feet to B. Glue D centrally onto the 10 x 10 mm roof, 6 mm above B. Hold square and dry 5 minutes.

  4. Make the upper bridge

    Fold R2 identically. Glue its feet to D, with its roof centered and its long direction rotated 90 degrees relative to R1. Glue E centered onto the roof, 12 mm above B. Keep the tier disks parallel and let both bridges dry 10 minutes before loading petals.

  5. Form the O petal tier

    Keep each 8 x 6 mm root tongue flat. At 6 mm from the root, lift the blade 18 degrees. At 24.7 mm from the root, fold the crown back 10 degrees, leaving its facet 8 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch the broad blade. The C tier makes the upright petal center; no stamens or hidden core are needed.

  6. Mount the O spiral tier

    On disk B, mark 8 root locations at radius 17 mm, starting 0 degrees counterclockwise from the right-hand horizontal and spacing them 45.0 degrees apart. Place each tongue midpoint at its inner short edge on a mark, directing its long axis 18 degrees counterclockwise from the outward radius. Glue only the 8 x 6 mm tongue. Work in number order, gently laying each next broad crown over its neighbor; lift the first crown to tuck the last underneath and close the spiral. Keep crowns unglued so overlap can settle. Hold each tongue 30 seconds and dry the tier 5 minutes.

  7. Form the M petal tier

    Keep each 8 x 6 mm root tongue flat. At 6 mm from the root, lift the blade 38 degrees. At 21.1 mm from the root, fold the crown back 18 degrees, leaving its facet 20 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch the broad blade. The C tier makes the upright petal center; no stamens or hidden core are needed.

  8. Mount the M spiral tier

    On disk D, mark 7 root locations at radius 10 mm, starting 24 degrees counterclockwise from the right-hand horizontal and spacing them 51.4 degrees apart. Place each tongue midpoint at its inner short edge on a mark, directing its long axis 18 degrees counterclockwise from the outward radius. Glue only the 8 x 6 mm tongue. Work in number order, gently laying each next broad crown over its neighbor; lift the first crown to tuck the last underneath and close the spiral. Keep crowns unglued so overlap can settle. Hold each tongue 30 seconds and dry the tier 5 minutes.

  9. Form the C petal tier

    Keep each 8 x 6 mm root tongue flat. At 6 mm from the root, lift the blade 72 degrees. At 16.9 mm from the root, fold the crown back 15 degrees, leaving its facet 57 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch the broad blade. The C tier makes the upright petal center; no stamens or hidden core are needed.

  10. Mount the C spiral tier

    On disk E, mark 5 root locations at radius 4 mm, starting 51 degrees counterclockwise from the right-hand horizontal and spacing them 72.0 degrees apart. Place each tongue midpoint at its inner short edge on a mark, directing its long axis 18 degrees counterclockwise from the outward radius. Glue only the 8 x 6 mm tongue. Work in number order, gently laying each next broad crown over its neighbor; lift the first crown to tuck the last underneath and close the spiral. Keep crowns unglued so overlap can settle. Hold each tongue 30 seconds and dry the tier 5 minutes.

  11. Set the formal bloom

    Leave the assembled flower unloaded for 20 minutes. The eight outer, seven middle and five upright inner petals should read as a continuous offset spiral. Keep mounting tongues flat and bridges square; do not flatten the center. This is a decorative flower head, not a freestanding stemmed flower.

Notes

The 3D model shows each piece in its finished, idealized shape; the exploded view only spreads the pieces apart. It is not a paper-physics simulation: curved shapes are forming guides, not exact physical folding or proof of developability, and intermediate fold shapes are not supplied.