The Origami Forum

Well, I'm kind of new to origami (two months of weak experience) and I was looking at some modules created by John Montroll in his book "Origami For The Enthusiast". I can already do several modules from that book, but I cannot seem to get the rabbit. And, of course, that just happens to be my favorite one. For those of you who have the book or the steps/directions, I'm on step 6. I made the Preliminary Fold, Petal Folded it, then turned it into a bird base, going by steps 1-5. But for some reason I can't seem to understand how to do step 6 at all. I would really appreciate any help I receive. Thanks.

hope that helps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB1-th7bdDw

Aw, man! Thanks, this helped. But now I can get past that. Ugh. Is it possible for you to make a video going all the way to the final step? You've been so helpful so far. I would really appreciate a continuation video. Thanks again =)

the following steps are simple mountain and valley folds, nothing to worry about. just follow the steps

yeah, I know. But I tried like ten times and I still can't get it. man, I'm really bad at Origami...

All of us have problems with Origami in the beginning... You'll get better with practice... and maybe learn to design.

I haven't folded that model, so I don't have pictures, but maybe a little running commentary will help (try another ten times

Step 7: Result of Completed step 6.

Step 8. Step 7 turned over. There are difficult to see arrows on both sides. By looking at Step 9, you can see the desired result of Step 8, which is to fold the little triangular flap on each side, and push it (tuck) into the pockets.
Before you try to tuck, pre-crease along the indicated, long, upside down, edge of the triangle. I can't tell if it is a mountain or valley fold, so try a valley fold (VF) first.... then remember if it doesn't work.

Step 9. Mountain fold (MF) the top flap backwards, so that you can see everything. You'll have to estimate, but it looks like the MF is estimated with the VF as a middle line. After you do the MF, do a VF to pivot that back flap upwards. The resulting pleat fold places the flap on top of (as well as above) that large, stationary bottom flap.

Step 10. I am not positive, but it looks like you Mountain fold backwards that triangular flap (that is partially hidden at the lower inside sections, respectively) and tuck it into the area behind.

Step 11. Valley fold upward, so that everything lines up. Don't be concerned if the paper gets thick, and things are really aligned. After you understand the steps, you'll have to make small adjustments, depending on the thickness of the paper to improve the quality of the folds, alignment, and model overall.

Step 12. Valley fold the model in half.

Step 13. This might be a little deceptive. After you complete Step 12, turn the model 90 degrees clockwise to get the configuration in step 13. Then, precrease and do an outside reverse fold. The goal is for everything to line up, but the paper is getting even thicker, so this reverse fold may be a little messy. But After you understand what to expect, you can manipulate the paper to make things come out OK. Should have a few sections.

Step 14. i Do a MF on the front piece, then a VF at an angle. That is important... Don't do the folds parallel, like in Step 9, but more like a wedge... and you'll have to estimate. Do the same on the back piece. It may be easier to partially open the model, so that you can do these pleats. (ii) I am not positive about this substep, but I think that you reverse fold the outer two layers, leaving the inner layers for the ears.

Step 15. i Inside reverse fold the back feet, so they look like the picture in step 16. (ii) A crimp is kinda like a pleat, on a closed section. Precrease the MF and the VF on both sides. Then partially open the model so that you can push the paper in to make the MF, leaving a little flap that extends from the VF. Much easier to do than to explain. (iii) Push into each ear to open, like in step 16. (iv) inside Reverse fold the nose underneath. (v) Crimp the front feet, similar to what you did on the tail...
I feel that feet crimping is harder than tail crimping... try to match the picture.

Now put that model somewhere else, and try again from the start. Finally, make a nice, third model. Keep that somewhere special. Then, make a fourth model and give it to someone.

Also, please take some pictures and post them for us.

HTH,

- Hank Simon

Thanks, but I still can't get it. Not that I can't do the folds, it's that I don't think I'm doing it right. I think I'm doing something wrong with the ears. At the end it looks right from an angle, but when I touch/pull it, one ear and the entire portion of that body gets separated from the head and the other ear. ugh it's so frustrating. I've been working on this same model for over a week now. And I can't find any videos that go past the 7th step.

It sounds like a problem with Step 14.ii ... maybe you are folding what seems to be symmetric, rather than folding per directions... I'm guessing now.

Could you post a few well-lit pictures from different angles ?

- Hank Simon

Mwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....

I figured out my problem. It wasn't with fold 14 at all. It was a mistake with step 12 - which seemed to be the easiest fold of all! I folded it the opposite direction, so that the three flaps were separated, instead of conjoined. But now there's another problem (it never ends...).

I cannot seem to correctly make the head and the ears. Is there a way (or is it supposed to be like this and I'm just doing it wrong) to make one ear on each side of the head? Because right now both of the ears are on one side and it looks retarded! and for some reason the head looks nothing like what it does in the book, and the ears keep getting separated from the head since they're on the same side. I could really use a video tutorial if someone is willing to make one for me.

Go back and look at Step 13. I believe that the ears are on the INside of the head... not on the OUTside as would be expected. Re-read Montroll's instructions and what I wrote.

If it doesn't work, then undo it back to 12 (assuming that you did it correctly , and re-fold the reverse fold in Step 13.... incorrectly ...

Sometimes, Origami is Zen. Just do it, see what you get, then either go forward, or back up and try it a different way.... If you understand how to do the folds, and the thickness isn't a problem, then Step 13 is nearly as simple as Step 12.

- Hank SImon

I still can't do it. Can someone PLEASE make some sort of video explaining steps 8-15? One of my ears are stuck in the other, one is reversed, and the head is stuck to the inside of the body. Ugh...

This is kind of a bump. Can someone please help me out with this? I would absolutely love some sort of explanation video! I've been trying to make this model for at least three months and have not experienced even one completion.

I suggest you read Hank Simon's step-by-step instructions carefully. They are quite comprehensive.

My two pence worth:

Step 8: The folds are indeed valley. You have to tuck them in the immediate pockets

Step 9: The action is only on the topmost flap. The crease for the valley fold is already there. So, after you fold down the top flap on the existing crease, you fold it back up to align with the two small flaps (eventually ears). In fact, I think your ears problem could be a result of some mistake in this step.

Step 10: The mountain folds in this step will lock the pleated flap from the previous step. Just make sure that you don't tuck (mountain-fold) the paper in the immediate pocket but over the other layer you see underneath. It'll make more sense when you look at the step on your model.

Step 11 and 12 : Self-explanatory

Step 13: Before executing this step, make sure that you have a loose flap on each side (front and back). After completing the outside-reverse, you should have the two loose flaps innermost, covered by two single flaps.

Step 14:
(i) Follow Hank Simon's explanation for the pleat fold.
(ii) After this outside-reverse, you have formed the head while locking the flaps for the ears under it on each side.

Step 15:
(i), (ii), (iv) & (v): Follow Hank Simon
(iii) You could either open the ears with a single valley fold on the topmost layer of each ear or by folding in both layers separately (like an incomplete petal fold).

I know that following text instructions could be frustrating but hope that this would suffice till someone with a video camera can actually make an instructional video for you.

Enjoy the process and do post pics when you succeed!

Himanshu.

Hey, thanks for the instructions, but I still can't get it. I really need a video or something.


Nope, still can't do it. I finally got the ears inside the head, but I had to give up on Montroll's instructions and make it my own way, by reversing the ears with the head, turning the inside out, folding the head only half way, and tucking the ears behind it. But now there's only one more problem (aside from the fact that it looks nothing like a rabbit), nothing is holding the valley fold from step 12 together. If I thoroughly pinch the sides of the rabbit, it looks fine...almost. But when I let go and set it down on a table or something, it just opens up. It's kind of hard to explain. The valley fold from step 12 unfolds, making it look like step 12 again, but with ears and two back legs. How can I stop this?

I would really really REALLY appreciate an instructional video of any sort! Please please please! I'm really desperate. The model in the book looks so cool and mine looks like the retarded version of the ugly duckling!

I think it has something to do with step 12. I cannot seem to get the model to stay folded in half. It just keeps opening. Montroll's skunk is done in the same way. It doesn't seem to have anything holding it in half either. Is there something I'm missing? The picture of the rabbit and the skunk seem so perfect, yet I cannot seem to get them to look anything like his.