Box in One
Created by Robert Harbin. Robert Harbin was a professional stage magician and one of the leading lights in British Origami in the 1960's. Used by kind permission of The British Origami Society
Description:
A square box, half as deep as it is wide, with a hinged lid that fits snugly over the base.
Method:
1.Begin with a square, coloured on one side, white side up.
2.Divide the square into an 8x8 grid equally spaced valley folds, vertically and horizontally.
3.Align the edges of the square with HR and valley fold the right and left hand edges in on the first crease in from the edge.
4. Valley fold the top edge down on the first crease.
5. Starting from the top left hand corner count 2 creases to the right and 1 crease down. Note the intersection, we shall call this Point "A".
6. Starting from the top left hand corner count 3 creases down. Note where the crease meets the edge of the paper, we shall call this point "B".
7. Starting from the top left hand corner count 2 creases to the right and 6 creases down. Note the intersection, we shall call this Point "C".
8. Starting from the top left hand corner count 4 creases down. Note where the crease meets the edge of the paper, we shall call this Point "D".
9. Make a diagonal mountain crease between Point "A" and Point "B".
10. Make a diagonal mountain crease between Point "C" and Point "D".
11. Repeat Steps 5 - 10 starting the crease counting from the top right hand corner so that the new creases formed are an exact mirror image of Steps 5 - 10.
The new points we shall call A1, B1, C1, and D1, respectively.
12. Ensure the paper is aligned with the HR and that the top edge is folded down.
13. Valley fold on the second vertical crease from the left so that points B and D touch the paper at the second vertical crease from the right.
14. The mountain creases made in Steps 5 and 6 previously will now appear to be valleys.
Fold the paper along these 2 valley creases until the triangular shaped flaps are flat on the paper beneath.
15. You should now have a rectangular shape (4x5 small squares in size) flat on the table.
Along the top edge there is a vertical wall, 2 layers of paper thick, that goes around the top left hand corner and down the left hand edge for 2 small squares.
There is a similar wall, 1 layer thick that runs along the bottom edge and goes up the left hand edge for 2 small squares.
The 2 walls are separated by one small square that extends across the paper for 2 small squares.
16. Fold the right hand side as a mirror image of Steps 13 and 14. B1 and D1 will touch the paper at the extreme left hand edge.
17. You should now have a tall, thin rectangle (2x5 small squares in size) with a 3-sided box shape at the top and the bottom separated by one small square.
The upper box (the lid) has walls 2 layers thick and the lower box (the base) has walls 1 layer thick.
18. Valley crease along the pre-creased closest edge of the lid, and along the furthest edge of the base.
You are re-emphasizing the horizontal valley creases of the dividing horizontal rectangle between the lid and the base of the box.
19. The box is now complete and ready to be closed.
20. To close the box swing the upper box shape (2 layers thick) completely over the lower box shape (1 layer thick)
ensuring that the upper box shape completely surrounds the lower.
21. The box, once filled, will need to be held shut with a piece of sticky tape.
22. If the box is folded from card or heavy (>200gsm) paper and the 2 central flaps are glued down it will prove to be quite sturdy and secure.
For a text file of these instructions please click here.
