Credits and Resources:
Text-Only Instructions Copyright 2024 by Lindy van der Merwe
accessorigami.com
With thankful acknowledgement to Zahn van der Merwe with help folding the modules and Charity Matsika and Stephan van der Merwe for helping with assembly and transformation steps.
Also thanks to Nishi Sakpal for folding expertise and editing suggestions.
Designer: Valerie Vann
Valerie Vann on giladorigami.com
Various sites show how to fold this famous transforming cube. See, for instance,
instructables.com
or
youtube.com
for video instructions.
Paper to be used: 6 squares of similar size; use large paper to practice with at first.
Thicker paper or thin cardstock is strongly recommended.
Note squares will also make nice, small models, but only use these when you are comfortable with the folding and assembly of these units.
The model is most often folded with 3 green squares, to represent the leaves and 3 pink, red or other colored squares, to represent the petals of the rose or flower.
Not only will the two colors make the model look more life-like, but two different colors will be needed to differentiate your units during the folding, assembly and transformation process.
So, it is suggested that you use squares with different textures to represent the two colors or you can mark three of the units in some way.
Folding level: Intermediate
Description:
This remarkable action model is constructed from 6 units, forming a cube.
With a few simple adjustment folds, the cube may be turned into a beautiful rose-like flower with the green units of the cube serving as the leaves.
It is then also fairly easy to turn the flower back into a cube again.
Note that, if you simply want a cube, you can fold 6 units as described below for making the pink units of the model.
You will end up with each face of the cube being divided by a diagonal slit into two triangles.
Very small cubes can be used as jewelry components.
These models also look beautiful displayed in a large, flat bowl or see-through jar or vase, or use them as party favors or hanging decorations.
To use as a box, small objects can be added before the last module is inserted.
PHASE 1: CREATING THE UNITS
This phase is divided into two parts.
Part A, will involve folding 3 units, which will represent the flower or petals, which we will call the pink units in this tutorial.
Part B will be a similar process, but adding two extra steps, for folding 3 leaf units, which we will call the green units.
Part A - Creating 3 pink units
To make your first pink unit, do the following precreases:
Step 1
Place your square down with its edges to the left and right, top and bottom.
Step 2
Fold the left edge over to meet the right edge to form a vertical center crease line.
Crease and unfold.
Step 3
Now fold the left and right edges in to meet the center crease line, to make a cupboard fold.
Crease and leave folded.
Your unit will look like a cupboard, with its doors closed.
Step 4
Fold the bottom edge up to meet the top edge to form a horizontal center crease line.
Crease well and unfold.
Step 5
Take the bottom left corner of the unit and fold it diagonally inwards and upwards, so its bottom edge meets its right edge.
A triangle will form.
Make a strong crease and then unfold.
Step 6
Rotate your square 180 degrees and repeat the previous step, making another similar triangle, remembering to unfold.
Result: You will have the closed cupboard again, but it will now have a horizontal crease as well as two diagonal creases across it.
We have now completed the basic precreases for the unit.
Step 7
Open the doors of the cupboard so you have the open square again.
Step 8
Some More creases are needed before we can do the final collapse.
We will be working on the left side first.
Step 8.1
First, refold the left bottom corner to meet the right-most vertical crease. It will be easy, since you are just folding along the existing diagonal crease.
Leave folded.
Explanation:
Notice that your folded triangle has a diagonal hinged edge on the left and two raw edges, one on the right and another furthest away from you.
Also notice that, on the surface of the folded triangle, there are two horizontal lines, a short line nearest you and another, longer line, furthest away.
For the next step, we are not actually going to make anew fold. Rather, we are going to turn the horizontal crease line from a mountain into a valley fold.
Step 8.2
So, with one hand, find the furthest raw edge of your folded triangle and with the other, locate the longest horizontal crease on the surface of the folded triangle.
Take the raw edge, furthest away from you and lift it up, pulling it flat towards you along the horizontal precrease you have located with your other hand.
You should be able to pull the raw edge all the way towards you, so it lies flat.
You will have formed a new area now, which can be described as a two-layered rectangle, the raw edge nearest you and the folded edge, furthest away.
Step 8.3
Working with this new area, hold the raw edge, that will now be near you, down with one hand, sliding your finger along the folded edge to the left and then diagonally away from you, all the way along the left side of the model.
It will be helpful if you can still press down at the center of the unit when you make this fold.
The precreases will let the folds fall into place so that the entire left side of the unit will now have folded into a triangle and furthest away, a long rectangle.
Put in another way, the left edge of the unit will now have folded over into a sloping triangle, leading into a long rectangle.
Everything will lie flat on the table.
Starting nearest you, there will be the following areas:
A A small triangle, two layers.
B a square, also 2 layers, but with a loose flap that can be lifted up.
C Just to the left of the square, a triangle, leading into a long rectangle,also 2 layers thick.
This completes the folding of the left side of our unit.
Step 9
Unfold the square completely and rotate it 180 degrees.
Step 10
Repeat Step 8 on this side of the unit and then unfold it all the way again.
You have now made all the folds on opposite sides of the unit, that will allow you to collapse your model into a long, twisted shape.
So, keep in mind that whereas you have made folds on opposite sides separately, you are now going to use these same folds simultaneously to bring the sides inwards so they will overlap, almost twisting into each other.
This may sound complicated, but the paper will do the trick if the creases are strong enough.
Step 11
It is time for the collapse, or actually, the folding together of the module now.
Notice that there are two rectangular panels on the sides of the square.
One will be on the left, nearest you and the other on the right, furthest away.
Grasp the left bottom panel with one hand and the top right panel with the other.
Bring the panels diagonally towards each other, so they will meet each other in the center.
This is a fluid, lifting motion. It should feel like you are bringing together the opposite parts of the module.
As the corners meet, let them slide just past one another until you can feel that the two panels have come to rest next to each other, at the very center of the model.
Hold the two panels upright like a wall, between your fingers for the moment.
Step 12
Now, let the two walls go, gently pushing them in opposite directions so they will lay flat.
At the same time, fold the left side and then the right side of the structure inwards, towards each other, until the entire shape lies flat.
Important: Make sure that the walls fold in opposite directions and that they are then covered by the folded rectangles, one on the right nearest you and the other on the left, furthest away.
If you have worked with Sonobe units, you will realize that this type of collapse is similar, where one side of the unit does not simply lie on top of the other, but one side is tucked securely into or under the other, causing the sides of the unit to forma kind of locking mechanism.
In this case, the result will be a unit that is made up of two opposing, elongated rectangles that should meet each other along the center of the shape.
The slit that will have formed should be as small as possible. If you can feel a large space at the center of the unit, consider refolding it, since your unit needs to be as symmetrical as possible for the assembly to work.
Step 13
At The top and bottom points of the unit there may be two small, single-layered flaps.
One or both of these flaps may have already been tucked into place during the folding process.
If they are still present, using mountain folds, tuck both of them under, so they disappear inside the folds of the unit.
Both ends of the unit should now be pointy.
Step 14
Flip the shape over and rotate it so that one of its long edges is nearest you.
If you think of the central part of your shape as a square, you will have a triangle on the left of the square, sloping downwards and another on the right, sloping upwards.
Step 15
Fold the left corner straight over to the right and the right corner straight over to the left so the bases of the triangles meet each other diagonally across the square.
Make sure that all 4 edges of your square are straight and really creased well at this point. Press extra hard since firm creases will make the assembly of the model much easier.
Step 16
Gently unfold both flaps and set aside.
Step 17
Follow the steps above to make 2 more pink units.
Make sure you follow the instructions for all the squares precisely since all units should be alike in order for the modular pieces to fit. In particular, the flaps should be folded in the same way, corresponding to the description above.
You can place your units on top of each other to check their flaps look similar.
Part B - Creating 3 green units
Your green units will look similar to your pink units, except that at the end, the left flap of each unit will be folded and tucked inwards.
So, fold your first green unit exactly like the pink unit up to Step 13.
Step 14
Flip the shape over and rotate it so that one of its long edges is nearest you.
If you think of the central part of your shape as a square, you will have a triangle on the left of the square, sloping downwards and another on the right, sloping upwards.
Step 15
Fold the right corner of your unit straight over to the left as you did with the pink units, but leave the left unfolded to be dealt with in the next step.
Step 16
Instead of folding the point of our left flap straight over, we are going to fold it straight upwards.
The left flap will fold in half and its point will just touch the point of the right triangle where it has been folded across the central square.
Make a strong crease and unfold.
Step 17
Lastly, take the bottom point and push it inwards so it disappears inside the layers of the model.
It should use the fold from the previous step so that it will look the same as when it was folded straight up in the previous step, but now it will be hidden on the inside of the folds.
The resulting triangle will seem to lie with its base in a vertical position and it will be pointing left.
Step 18
Like you did with the right point, also fold the left point straight over so it too will lie on top of the central square.
For the assembly, we will need to differentiate between the flaps of our green units:
So, the long, pointy end, which we will call the long flap, will be on the right and the more blunt, short triangle, which we will call the short flap, will be on the left.
Make sure that all 4 edges of your square are straight and really creased well at this point. Press extra hard since firm creases will make the assembly of the model much easier.
Step 19
Gently unfold both flaps from the previous step and set aside.
Step 20
Follow the steps above to make 2 more green units.
Make sure you follow the instructions for all the squares precisely since all units should be alike in order for the modular pieces to fit. In particular, the flaps should be folded in the same way, corresponding to the description above.
You can place your units on top of each other to check their flaps look similar, with the long flap on the right and the short one on the left.
PHASE 2: ASSEMBLING YOUR MODEL
This phase is divided into three parts.
You will first be assembling the 3 green units in Part A and then the 3 pink units in Part B.
The two half cubes are then assembled in Part C.
Part A - Assembly of 3 green units
Step 1
Explanation:
First look at your folded unit. It has a square with two flaps that seem to point in opposite directions.
As mentioned above, the green units have a long flap on one side and a short flap on the other.
The square itself has a smooth surface on the inside and on the outside, there will be a diagonal slit.
Note that, unlike with some other cubes, these slits will not be used in the assembly.
Importantly, the units have triangular pockets on their straight edges.
These pockets are where you will be inserting the flaps of other units to form your magic rose cube.
Don't be afraid to use a fingernail to open the pockets. You should be able to figure out where the pockets are and how to slide the flaps of the new units into them once you start assembling the model.
Step 2
Start by placing one unit down with its short flap nearest you and the long flap should be furthest away.
The square part of the model will lie flat while the flaps will point towards the ceiling.
Step 3
Now take a second unit and place it at the right of unit 1, with its short flap at the right and the long flap on the left.
Step 4
Unit 3 should be placed above unit 1, or, put in another way, furthest away from you.
Make sure it is placed with the short flap on the left.
Step 5
To connect the first 2 units, lift unit 1 slightly and insert the long left point of unit 2 into the side pocket of unit 1.
Slide it in all the way. The point will disappear and the first two units will be loosely joined by their sides.
Step 6
Insert the long flap of unit 1 into the nearest side pocket of unit 3.
Slide it in all the way. The point will disappear and all 3 units will be loosely joined by their sides.
After you have connected the 3 units you will have a loose structure that is still fairly flat on the table, with various points jutting out and standing at a 45 degree angle.
Step 7
Now, form the 3 units into a half cube by tilting both unit 2 and unit 3 so they stand at a 90 degree angle in relation to unit 1.
Lastly, tuck the long flap of unit 3 into the side pocket of unit 2.
Result: You should now have a green half cube with 3 square panels connected.
There should be 3 short flaps visible as well: One nearest you, pointing upwards; another on the right and a third, pointing towards you.
Without changing its orientation, set your half cube assembly aside.
Part B - Assembly of 3 pink units
Step 1
Explanation:
First look at your folded unit. It has a square with two flaps that seem to point in opposite directions.
The square itself has a smooth surface on the inside and on the outside, there will be a diagonal slit.
Note that, unlike with some other cubes, these slits will not be used in the assembly.
Importantly, the units have triangular pockets on their straight edges.
These pockets are where you will be inserting the flaps of other units to form your magic rose cube.
Don't be afraid to use a fingernail to open the pockets. You should be able to figure out where the pockets are and how to slide the flaps of the new units into them once you start assembling the model.
Step 2
Start by placing one unit down with its flaps at the top and bottom.
The square part of the model will lie flat while the flaps will point towards the ceiling.
Step 3
Now take a second unit and place it at the left of unit 1, with its flaps out to the left and right.
Step 4
Unit 3 should be placed above unit 1, or, put in another way, furthest away from you.
Make sure it is also placed with its flaps out to the left and right.
Step 5
To connect the first 2 units, lift unit 1 slightly and insert the right point of unit 2 into the side pocket of unit 1.
Slide it in all the way. The point will disappear and the first two units will be loosely joined by their sides.
Step 6
Insert the flap of unit 1 into the nearest side pocket of unit 3.
Slide it in all the way. The point will disappear and all 3 units will be loosely joined by their sides.
After you have connected the 3 units you will have a loose structure that is still fairly flat on the table, with various points jutting out and standing at a 45 degree angle.
Step 7
Now, form the 3 units into a half cube by tilting both unit 2 and unit 3 so they stand at a 90 degree angle in relation to unit 1.
Lastly, tuck the left flap of unit 3 into the side pocket of unit 2.
Result: You should now have a pink half cube with 3 square panels connected.
There should be 3 long flaps visible as well: One nearest you, pointing upwards; another on the left and a third, pointing towards you.
Without changing its orientation, set your half cube assembly aside.
Part C - Joining your half cubes
Step 1
Place your two half cubes next to each other.
The green should be on the right and the pink on the left.
Step 2
Tilt the pink half cube so that it is positioned with its open side to the back.
Put in another way, you want the pink half cube to have one panel or face nearest you, another on the left and the third panel facing the ceiling.
Think of the fact that you want the green half cube and the pink half cube to be turned so that they will make up the 6 faces of the finished cube.
Step 3
Now, gently place the green half cube on the right inside the pink half cube.
Try to take the long flaps out of the way as you do this.
Result: You should now have a cube shape, but with many flaps poking out in different directions.
Step 4
Next, you should hold the basic cube together while starting to sort out the flaps.
First look for 3 long, pink flaps. Pull all 3 of them to the outside of the cube structure.
Then, do the same with the short, green flaps.
If all went well, you will find this step works since all the flaps will have an open edge across from them.
Step 5
Lastly, starting with the three long, pink flaps and then the three short, green flaps, tuck them into their respective corresponding side pockets.
Your cube is ready to be transformed into a beautiful rose.
Phase 3 - Transformation
Step 1
First, find the 3 short flaps, the leaves, and pull them out from where they are hidden within the cube shape.
You will gently have to insert a finger into the sides of the cube to find these flaps.
They will be on 3 adjacent sides of the cube.
Step 2
Once the flaps are out, gently fold them at a diagonal angle of about 45 degrees away from the main body of the cube.
The leaves should not unfold, but simply lean away from your flower.
Step 3
Hold the cube in the palm of your hand.
It should be turned so that the 3 green leaf units are at the bottom. Instead of the flat face of the cube resting on your palm, turn it so that the point, where the 3 green units meet, is touching your palm, while supporting the sides of the cube with your fingers.
Step 4
Focus on the 3 pink units now.
They will be at the top of the figure now, coming together in a point, which will represent the top of the rose.
Each unit will have a diagonal slit on its outside surface.
Gently insert a finger and open the slits a little. The units are folded in such a way that you will be able to expand their flat surfaces into folds that will stand up and away from the top, center point of the figure.
Press the slits open, just enough to create the illusion of petals of a rose that are in the process of unfolding.
You want to unfold enough for the petals to stay open, but rather unfold too little than too much of your pink units, since you do not want to dislodge them in any way.
It is, of course, your choice if you would like to open the pink units more, but to me, folding them just slightly open so that the flat surface of the cube turns into various layered folds that taper into a point, creates a model that looks more natural and is easier to open and close.
Step 5
Your magic rose is finally ready to be presented.
Step 6
To transform the rose back into the cube, press the pink flaps back together and then fold closed and tuck the green leaves into their corresponding pockets.
You will once again hold a perfectly formed cube in your hand.
If you would like to confirm that you have folded and assembled your magic rose cube correctly and that you are performing the transformation in the right way, feel free to ask someone to check the links provided above.
This is simply a suggestion since I have found that with an intermediate action model like this one, it is of great help if someone shows you how the action should be performed. This normally only takes a few minutes, after which you can practice on your own until you can manage performing the action yourself with confidence.
Making origami accessible through text-based instructions.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe, July 2024
Revised, May 2025
This text copyright 2025 by accessorigami.com
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