SnipFold

Sunflower - Folded Seed Fringe

A broad textured seed face surrounded by 32 pointed golden rays in two staggered layers. Four notched disks form 84 individually lifted seed-fringe teeth.

Materials

  • Golden yellow paper, 120-160 gsm, for R01-R32
  • Brown paper, 120-160 gsm, for C1-C5
  • Green card, 200-220 gsm, for B1
  • Scissors or craft knife and cutting mat
  • Blunt scoring tool and ruler
  • PVA glue and tweezers
  • Protractor and pencil

Finished size: Approximately 154 x 154 x 10 mm; flower head only

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Prepare the backing

    Cut B1, 66 mm across. On its front lightly pencil a circle of radius 24 mm and 16 equally spaced radial guides, 22.5 degrees apart. Mark an additional guide halfway between each pair for the second ray layer.

  2. Fold and attach the long rays

    Cut and score R01-R16. Keep each 8 mm root tab flat. Lift its blade 12 degrees at the base valley; lower its tip 25 degrees relative to the blade at the mountain line. Glue only the marked underside of the tab onto B1. Put the short root edge midpoint on the 24 mm pencil circle and point the ray radially outward along a main guide. Tabs extend outward to radius 32 mm. Space all 16 evenly; let glue set.

  3. Add the staggered short rays

    Cut and score R17-R32. Lift each blade 22 degrees from its flat tab and lower its tip 25 degrees relative to the blade. Glue root tabs onto the backing between the long rays using the halfway guides; short root edge midpoints again lie at radius 24 mm. These rays form the upper, shorter layer. Leave blades unglued and dry flat at the tabs.

  4. Make the broad outer seed fringe

    Cut the entire notched perimeter of C1 carefully, retaining every tooth. Score all 32 short valley lines. Hold the core flat and lift each 5 mm tooth 60 degrees toward the front. Apply glue under the central dotted area only and center C1 over B1; its flat core covers most ray roots. Keep all raised teeth free.

  5. Build concentric seed texture

    Cut C2-C4 and lift every tooth 60 degrees on its valley line: 24, 16 and 12 teeth respectively. Glue the marked underside core of C2 centrally onto C1, then C3 onto C2, then C4 onto C3. Keep all cores flat and concentric; the smaller disks fit inside the previous fringe. Press only the glue areas and allow each layer to set before adding the next.

  6. Finish the center and dry

    Glue the 6 mm button C5 flat at the center of C4. Check that all 84 teeth remain lifted, all 32 ray tips are visible, and every root tab is bonded. Leave the backing on a flat surface until fully dry. This is a decorative flower head; no stem or hanging hardware is included.

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.