SnipFold

Layered Spoon-Ray Gerbera

A dimensional gerbera head with 54 narrow-necked, broad-spoon rays in three staggered rising whorls around two independently folded floret crowns and a dark eye.

Materials

  • 120-150 gsm colored paper for rays and crowns
  • 180-220 gsm green cardstock for backing B
  • Scissors or craft knife and cutting mat
  • Scoring tool and ruler
  • Protractor, tweezers and quick-grab PVA glue

Finished size: 124 x 124 x 12 mm approximately

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Cut and score the backing and rays

    Print at 100%; the ruler must measure 50 mm. Cut B (40 mm diameter) and all rays. Score the two folds on each ray before shaping. Keep the 3 x 5 mm glue feet flat. Place B green side down.

  2. Fold O spoon rays

    For O01-O24, lift the stalk 10 degrees above the flat foot at the first valley score, 5 mm from the base. At the second score, turn the spoon blade downward by 12 degrees relative to the stalk. The blade remains -2 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch these facets.

  3. Attach O whorl

    Glue only the underside of each 3 x 5 mm foot to B or the already attached feet directly beneath it. Put the inner foot ends 14 mm from B center; the fold hinges are at radius 19 mm. Point each ray radially outward, evenly spaced by 15 degrees; start the first ray at 0 degrees from the rightward radius. Keep the feet flat in contact, press with tweezers, and let this whorl dry before adding the next. The broad spoons stay free of glue.

  4. Fold M spoon rays

    For M01-M18, lift the stalk 24 degrees above the flat foot at the first valley score, 5 mm from the base. At the second score, turn the spoon blade downward by 12 degrees relative to the stalk. The blade remains 12 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch these facets.

  5. Attach M whorl

    Glue only the underside of each 3 x 5 mm foot to B or the already attached feet directly beneath it. Put the inner foot ends 11 mm from B center; the fold hinges are at radius 16 mm. Point each ray radially outward, evenly spaced by 20 degrees; start the first ray at 7.5 degrees from the rightward radius. Keep the feet flat in contact, press with tweezers, and let this whorl dry before adding the next. The broad spoons stay free of glue.

  6. Fold I spoon rays

    For I01-I12, lift the stalk 40 degrees above the flat foot at the first valley score, 5 mm from the base. At the second score, turn the spoon blade downward by 12 degrees relative to the stalk. The blade remains 28 degrees above horizontal. Do not curl or stretch these facets.

  7. Attach I whorl

    Glue only the underside of each 3 x 5 mm foot to B or the already attached feet directly beneath it. Put the inner foot ends 8 mm from B center; the fold hinges are at radius 13 mm. Point each ray radially outward, evenly spaced by 30 degrees; start the first ray at 15 degrees from the rightward radius. Keep the feet flat in contact, press with tweezers, and let this whorl dry before adding the next. The broad spoons stay free of glue.

  8. Raise the outer floret crown

    Cut C1 as one connected piece. Score all 16 floor edges and lift each 7 mm floret 72 degrees above the floor; the tips rise 6.7 mm. Leave its 16-sided floor flat. Apply glue under the marked central patch and center C1 on B, contacting B inside the ray feet. Allow to set.

  9. Nest the inner florets

    Cut C2 as one connected piece. Fold its twelve 5 mm florets up 72 degrees, to a tip height of 4.8 mm. Glue its marked underside patch directly onto the center of the C1 floor; rotate the first floret 15 degrees from the outer crown. Keep both floors flat and concentric.

  10. Finish the dark eye and dry

    Glue D flat at the exact center of the C2 floor. Press with a blunt tool without flattening the upright florets. Let all joints dry flat for at least 20 minutes or the glue maker's full setting time. This is a stemless face-up flower head; hold by B rather than by the spoon tips.

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.