SnipFold

Sector-pleated rosette

A circular 24-facet accordion rosette built from four developed sectors with integral seam tabs and a matching folded golden hub.

Materials

  • 100-120 gsm colored paper (all eight pieces)
  • Scissors
  • Scoring tool and ruler
  • Protractor
  • Thin PVA glue
  • Small clips or tweezers

Finished size: 137.87 x 137.87 x 24.31 mm (ideal zero-thickness geometry)

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Calibrate and cut

    Print at 100% and check the 50 mm ruler. Cut eight pieces on solid boundaries, retaining the four narrow integral tabs. Keep the printed side facing you and pencil IDs on the backs. Do not cut fold lines.

  2. Score the radial accordion

    Score five 50 mm radial lines on each R piece. Starting at the straight edge WITHOUT a tab, alternate mountain, valley, mountain, valley, mountain. Score the 34 mm tab hinge as a valley. Each developed facet spans 24.9541 degrees. Precrease gently, then set all hinges to about 105.66 degrees from flat (included angle 74.34 degrees); do not fold fully shut.

  3. Join the first three seams

    Dry-fit R1, R2, R3, R4 counterclockwise around the center, printed faces outward. Each formed sector occupies 90 degrees in plan. Apply a thin film of glue on the printed face of R1 tab and place it UNDER R2 first facet. Butt their straight radial cut edges without overlap of the main panels; match both inner and outer corners. The entire tab is the overlap. Clip until set; repeat R2 to R3 and R3 to R4, letting each seam set.

  4. Close the circular pleats

    Dry-close R4 tab beneath R1 first facet. Adjust all folds evenly until the seam edges meet, then glue and hold until set. Do not pull or stretch the panels. The 12 low radial valleys and 12 raised mountains alternate around the ring. Outer peak-to-valley height is 24.31 mm; opposite outer tips span 137.87 mm in plan. Allow the ring seams to dry.

  5. Pleat the center supports

    Score the five 28 mm radial lines of each H piece. From either straight radial edge the pattern is mountain, valley, mountain, valley, mountain. Use the same 105.66 degree fold rotation as the ring. Handle the common tip carefully; do not add a crease along a cut edge. These four pleated fans support and fill the open center.

  6. Glue matching hub facets underneath

    Dry-fit H1 under R1, H2 under R2, H3 under R3 and H4 under R4. Align all six facet directions per pair, printed sides facing the same way. Each hub tip meets the center; its outer 8 mm lies beneath the ring inner edge. Apply glue only to the six dotted 20-28 mm radial bands on each hub printed face. Press each band against the matching ring underside with tweezers and let set before the next hub. Hub radial edges butt together without an extra lap; do not glue the center tips into a thick lump.

  7. Dry and inspect

    Let all overlaps dry fully while supporting the pleats loosely, not pressing the rosette flat. Check four closed tab seams, 24 attached hub bands and an evenly pleated center. This light decorative rosette is not load-bearing. Record print scale, seam fit and springback in the pending physical build trial.

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.