SnipFold

Lavender Sprig

A slender square-fold paper stem carries seven graduated four-floret whorls and two opposing pairs of narrow leaves. Three-lobed purple blades flare on integral mounting tabs.

Materials

  • 160 gsm green paper for stem
  • 120 gsm green paper for leaves
  • 100-120 gsm purple paper for florets
  • Scissors
  • PVA glue applied sparingly
  • Ruler and blunt scoring tool
  • Tweezers
  • Removable 4 mm square stem former

Finished size: 36 x 44 x 174 mm approximately (Z-up; leaves set the width)

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Cut and fold the hollow stem

    Print at 100% and check the 50 mm ruler. Cut S1, 19 x 174 mm, from 160 gsm green paper. Score the four long dashed lines at 4, 8, 12 and 16 mm from the left edge. Fold each 90 degrees in the same direction to form four 4 mm walls. Glue the final 3 mm strip INSIDE the first wall with a full-length 3 mm overlap. Use a removable 4 mm square former while closing; remove it after drying. Leave both ends open. Call the first wall A; viewed from the top, B, C, D follow counterclockwise. All mounting heights below are measured up from the bottom end.

  2. Mount two opposing leaf pairs

    Cut L1-L4 from 120 gsm green paper. Each has a 4 x 7 mm rectangular root tab. Hold that tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 30 degrees from the stem (150 degree inside angle). Glue the complete tab flat against its wall, centered across the 4 mm wall: L1 on A and L2 on C with tab bottoms at 30 mm; L3 on B and L4 on D at 51 mm. Long leaf hinges are at 37 mm, short hinges at 58 mm. Keep blades pointing upward and let these joints dry before flowers.

  3. Attach graduated flower tier 1

    Cut the four tier-1 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 14 mm and maximum width 9 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 85 mm and hinge at 89 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  4. Attach graduated flower tier 2

    Cut the four tier-2 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 13 mm and maximum width 8.5 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 98 mm and hinge at 102 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  5. Attach graduated flower tier 3

    Cut the four tier-3 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 12 mm and maximum width 8 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 111 mm and hinge at 115 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  6. Attach graduated flower tier 4

    Cut the four tier-4 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 11 mm and maximum width 7.5 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 124 mm and hinge at 128 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  7. Attach graduated flower tier 5

    Cut the four tier-5 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 10 mm and maximum width 7 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 137 mm and hinge at 141 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  8. Attach graduated flower tier 6

    Cut the four tier-6 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 8 mm and maximum width 6 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 150 mm and hinge at 154 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  9. Attach graduated flower tier 7

    Cut the four tier-7 florets from 100-120 gsm purple paper; blade length is 6 mm and maximum width 5 mm. Each integral tab is 4 x 4 mm. Hold the tab vertical and mountain-fold the blade outward 45 degrees (135 degree inside angle). Glue the entire tab against the matching A/B/C/D wall with its bottom at 163 mm and hinge at 167 mm above the stem bottom. Keep the tab edges flush with the wall edges and all lobed ends upward. Work on opposing faces first, then the remaining pair; support the stem horizontally until glue grips. Dry this tier before moving upward; do not glue neighboring blades together.

  10. Dry and check the tapered spike

    Check seven tiers at 13 mm vertical pitch, four florets per tier, largest below and smallest at the tip. The bottom flower hinges are at 89 mm and the top hinges at 167 mm. Keep the last 3 mm of stem visible above the small terminal florets. Allow all glue to dry fully before handling by the bare lower stem. This is a single decorative sprig, not a freestanding model; display in your own narrow vase or lay flat. Do not force petals into cups.

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.