SnipFold

Notched-petal Cosmos

An original eight-ray pink cosmos flower head: broad four-lobed tips, shallow raised petals, and a twelve-tooth yellow floret crown around a gold disk.

Materials

  • Pink paper 120-160 gsm for P1-P8
  • Yellow and gold paper 120-160 gsm for C1 and C2
  • Green cardstock 180-220 gsm for B1
  • Fine scissors
  • PVA craft glue and toothpick
  • Ruler, protractor, blunt scoring tool and tweezers

Finished size: Approximately 92 x 92 x 13 mm (flower head only)

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Prepare the backing

    Cut the 18 mm diameter B1 disk and keep its eight dotted glue sockets facing up. Use a 45 degree spacing around the center; the narrow end of every socket points inward. Dry-fit all pieces before adding glue; dotted lines are not cuts.

  2. Cut and place four compass petals

    Each petal is 28 x 45 mm flat. Cut the three V notches at the broad end exactly along the perimeter; do not deepen them. Score the 6 mm-long dashed line 6 mm from the narrow root end. With the marked side up, valley-fold the blade upward 18 degrees while leaving the root tab flat (about 12 mm tip rise). Apply a thin film of PVA to the REVERSE of the dotted tab only. Place P1 at 12 oclock, P3 at 3, P5 at 6 and P7 at 9 on B1. The narrow root ends are 3 mm from the center and the creases 9 mm from it; match the dotted sockets. Press the flat tabs with tweezers for 30 seconds each; do not flatten the raised blades.

  3. Complete the eight-ray ring

    Cut and form these petals identically: 6 mm root tab, blade raised 18 degrees. Glue the reverse tab areas into the remaining sockets: P2 upper right, P4 lower right, P6 lower left and P8 upper left, clockwise halfway between the first four. Keep all root ends 3 mm from center, with no root-tab stacking. Hold each joint for 30 seconds; leave flat on the table for at least 10 minutes or until the glue grips.

  4. Fold and attach the yellow crown

    Cut the yellow C1 perimeter, preserving all twelve triangular teeth. Score only the twelve dashed chord lines around its 16 mm-wide core. From the marked side, valley-fold each tooth UP 45 degrees, keeping the core flat; the tooth tips rise about 2.3 mm above the core. Do not cut those hinges. Apply glue to the REVERSE of the central dotted 13 mm-diameter area. Center C1 over B1 and the petal roots, teeth facing up. Press the flat central area onto the root tabs without pressing the teeth; hold 60 seconds. This covers the roots while leaving the petal creases free.

  5. Finish the central disk and dry

    Cut the 10 mm-diameter gold C2 disk. Spread a thin film of glue on the REVERSE of its dotted 8 mm-diameter area and place it centrally on the flat top of C1. Leave a 3 mm yellow core border around the disk before the tooth hinges. Press 30 seconds, then leave the whole flower undisturbed for at least 30 minutes or the glue makers full drying time, whichever is longer. Lift only by the backing. Check that eight broad notched petals and twelve raised yellow teeth remain distinct.

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.