Traditional Woven Paper Heart
Two folded round-ended pieces interlock as three-by-three loops, forming an open-topped heart pocket without glue. Flattened basket preview.
Materials
- Two contrasting colors of 80-100 gsm paper
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil for temporary loop numbers
Finished size: Approximately 106 wide x 97 high mm; flattened mesh depth 0.3 mm, actual thickness varies
Steps
CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area
-
Print and cut the two capsules
Print at actual size; check the 50 mm ruler. Use red paper for A and cream for B, or trace each outline onto its color. Cut one full 60 x 188 mm round-ended piece of each color. Keep their printed fold and slit locations; do not separate the rounded ends.
-
Fold and cut the loop slits
Valley fold each piece 180 degrees across the central dashed line, matching its rounded ends. From the folded straight edge cut both sides of each narrow slit through BOTH layers: centers 20 and 40 mm from the left edge, width 0.8 mm, length 64 mm. Remove the narrow waste and stop exactly at the printed endpoints. Never cut through the rounded cap or across a strip fold. Each strip is now a closed loop.
-
Orient and number the loops
Lay A with its rounded ends away from you and folded edge toward you; number its loops A1, A2, A3 left to right. Turn B 90 degrees so its rounded ends point right and folded loop tips point left. Number B1, B2, B3 from the near edge toward the far edge. The two slitted fields will overlap as a square; rounded caps remain above and to the right.
-
Weave B1: inside, outside, inside
Work B1 across A1 then A2 then A3. Open A1 and pass the complete folded tip of B1 between its two leaves. Next open B1 and pass the complete folded tip of A2 between B1 leaves. Finally pass B1 through A3. Thus A1 encloses B1, B1 encloses A2, A3 encloses B1. Slide this row gently toward the rounded end of A to leave room for the next row.
-
Weave B2: outside, inside, outside
Open B2 and pass A1 through it; open A2 and pass B2 through it; open B2 and pass A3 through it. B2 encloses A1 and A3, while A2 encloses B2. Move B1 back toward its near-edge position as you settle B2 beside it. Work loosely, flex the folded tips, and do not pull slit ends.
-
Weave B3 like the first row
Pass B3 through A1, A2 through B3, and B3 through A3. Ease this last row into place near the rounded cap of A. Settle B1, B2, B3 in near-to-far order and A1, A2, A3 in left-to-right order. Each crossing uses a whole folded loop, never just a loose single paper leaf.
-
Square up and check the pocket
Center the 60 mm crossing field within the 64 mm slits, leaving about 2 mm ease at each end. On the front, A is over B at (A1,B1), (A1,B3), (A2,B2), (A3,B1), (A3,B3); B is over A at the other four. On the back the same loops enclose their partners, with reversed signed depth. Rotate the square 45 degrees so the caps form the two upper lobes and the folded corner points down. Gently separate front and back at the upper opening: it should open as a pocket. If blocked, undo the affected row and thread through the complete loop. Leave unglued and flattened for display; physical fit still needs a 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.
- Original dimensioned template for the traditional woven-heart construction. Physical printing, cutting and weaving verification pending.
- Two physical pieces only, each 60 x 188 mm before folding, 60 x 94 mm folded. Each has two 0.8 mm relief slits centered 20 and 40 mm from the left straight edge. Each slit extends 64 mm from the fold through BOTH layers, producing three closed loops.
- The 3D model is an explicitly flattened basket idealization, not a filled solid heart. Front and back leaves have opposite heights; at each crossing one complete loop encloses the other. Heights 0.05/0.15 mm and tight fold bends are explanatory approximations. Do not crease at the checkerboard boundaries; let thin paper flex.
- The 64 mm slit length includes 4 mm working ease beyond the 60 mm opposing width. Narrow relief slots, rather than zero-width scissor slits, provide weaving clearance. The paper removed from each slit is waste, not an extra component.
- No glue, handle or load-bearing basket is included. Do not glue the two leaves together. The player places whole pieces; the numbered instructions describe threading, not a continuous simulated weaving animation.