Credits and Resources:
Designer: Kenneth Kawamura
Text-Only Instructions by Hans Dybkjær and Lindy van der Merwe - copyright 2026 by the authors.
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This page by Hans Dybkjær provides text-only instructions in Danish and English. There are various models thus far as well as explanation of origami bases and basic techniques, paper to be used and more.
Type: Geometric. Action model
Difficulty: Medium.
A search for the words "Origami Butterfly Ball" will yield countless sources with visual instructions for this model.
Folding the modules is really easy, assembly can be a challenge. However, a simple Masu box can help a lot as an aid in the assembly of the Butterfly Ball.
1 Introduction
The famous model, known as the Butterfly Ball, designed by Kenneth Kawamura, is a geometric shape formed by assembling 12 very slightly modified Waterbomb or Triangle Bases (see Step 2 before starting to fold your units).
It is called a cuboctahedron because it can be seen as a cube with its corners cut off or dimpled. T he intricately woven units will, with a quick upwards dash of ones hand, disassemble themselves, exploding into a cloud of "butterflies", with a pleasing, rustling sound that can be heard when the butterflies fall on a hard floor.
The model works best from stiff paper, like 80 gsm Tant paper.
If you use copy paper, 90 or 100 gsm might be better as copy paper is softer.
Using four colours, three of each, makes for a geometrically and visually pleasing pattern.
Papers of different textures may be used as well.
Note that the method below does not require tape or glue. However, as an alternative, you could opt to use tape or glue while doing the initial construction. This may allow you to understand how the structure is formed, what the faces and corners should look like, etc.
However, like with most other modulars, with practice, you will be able to construct this model without using any tape or glue, which is important if you would like for it to serve its purpose as an action model, or if construction without tape or glue is your ultimate aim.
Paper: 12 pieces of e.g. 7.5 cm squares.
Additionally, a large square for the masu box, ideally 3 times the module size, that is 22.5 cm.
2 Understanding the structure
Think of the model as a cube. It has six square faces, eight triangular corners, and twelve edges. The corners are inverted to become holes like inverse triangular pyramids.
Such inverted corners are called dimples. The dimples are large enough that their corners meet their neighbour dimples at the centre of the edges.
The dimpled edges carve into the faces, which become squares that, compared to the original faces, are half the size and rotated 45 degrees to look like a diamond shape.
The cube is hollow with its surface made from twelve four-pointed modules that interweave with each other.
The structure only becomes stable when they all interweave - no two modules lock together, even if every module weave with four other modules.
Each module is a Triangle Base, also known as the Waterbomb Base, but for this model, only one of the medians are folded, meaning we will only create three creases for every unit: both diagonals should be treated as mountain folds while one of the medians will be a valley fold.
This creates two large triangles opposite each other and four small triangles in-between.
When folded flat, the large triangles are on top of each other with the small triangles pairwise pushed inside.
When used in the Butterfly Ball the Triangle Bases are unfolded halfway, so that the two large triangles become perpendicular to each other. They are connected in a single point, called the corner of the Triangle Base. Think of the four other points as arms and legs. Regardless of the orientation of the module we will call the bottom points legs and the upper points arms.
The twelve modules correspond to the twelve edges of the cube. They kind of "sit" with their corner at the centre of an edge, extending their arms to the centres of the four neighbouring edges.
When we say the modules interweave, we mean that on each face of the cube you can see four modules, each with a triangle extending from its corner.
Half of the triangle is visible, the other half extends inside the neighbour module going counter-clockwise.
We also mean that in each of the cube's dimpled corners, all three neighbour modules are visible, holding hands, each covering the arm of the counter-clockwise neighbour.
So the modules interweave in opposite directions in the faces and in the dimpled corners.
3 Folding
The folding itself is very easy. To help with the assembly, you can use a masu box for a third hand to hold the modules until they all interweave.
Step 1
Fold a masu box, which you may find at the following link:
accessorigami.com - Traditional Masu Box
Use paper that is 3 times the width of the module paper, or measure the bottom to be the size of a module.
The size is important since the masu should be big enough so the bottom layer of your model will just be able to fit into it while turned into the diamond orientation.
Step 2
Making sure to fold two diagonals on one side and only one crease from edge to edge on the other, create 12 Triangle or Waterbomb Bases, for which you may find instructions at the following link:
accessorigami.com
Step 3
Important: Open all the modules halfway such that their two larger triangles end up orthogonally or at 90 degrees to each other.
So, if you have a module with its open side facing you, one large triangle should lay on the table while the other large triangle should stand upright, like a wall.
The two smaller triangles will be slightly open and visible on each side.
Even though keeping your units in this orientation will seem difficult in the beginning, just try your best to hold them open like described above.
All the units need to be opened for the assembly to work. If you find that your units are not staying upright or open, try thicker/stiffer paper.
4 Assembly
We will be doing the construction of the model in three layers.
4.1 Bottom layer
Explanation
The bottom layer has four modules sitting with one large triangle on the table and the other large triangle standing up vertically.
We will call the two points of the triangle on the table "legs", and the two points of the other triangle "arms".
Viewing the module from the closed corner end, you will have a left leg and arm, and a right leg and arm.
The four units should end up like four teddy bears with their legs interweaving, always with their left leg inside the leg of the module to the left.
Step 4
Place four modules on the table like they are four sitting teddy bears with their arms and legs spread out.
Step 5
Call one module the first.
Step 6
Slide the left leg of the second module orthogonally or at a 90 degree angle into the right leg of the first module.
Note: Both modules sit on one of their large triangles. Half of the second module sits inside the first module. They sit a bit sloppily, but forget that for now.
Step 7
Slide the left leg of the third module orthogonally into the right leg of the second module.
Note: The first and third modules are parallel to each other, but mirrored. The second module is inside the first and outside the third.
Step 8
Slide the left leg of the fourth module into the right leg of the third module, and the left leg of the first module into the right leg of the fourth module.
Note: When doing this you will have to part the first and the third modules slightly while first sliding the left leg of the fourth module slightly into the third module and lifting the right leg of the first module into the third module.
Then you can push all four modules together. They will interweave and meet at the centre.
Step 9
Now grab your masu box and put it close to the four interweaved modules.
Turn the masu so that one of its corners is facing you, or so it is in the diamond orientation.
Step 10
Making sure the assembly has one of its edges nearest you, carefully lift the four interweaved modules up, holding them with both hands.
Step 11
Lower the interweaved modules into the masu box, making sure it is still oriented with one of its edges nearest you.
Once done, each point of the bottom layer should touch the center of each side of the masu box.
Put in another way, the box will be positioned as a diamond and the bottom layer you have assembled should be positioned as a square when placed inside the box.
4.2 Middle layer
Explanation
Unlike the bottom layer, where the teddy bears were sitting, the middle layer will seem to have them standing. So, there will be four triangles standing up straight on two points, call them legs, with the two other points, call them arms, raised into the air.
These standing modules will interweave with the bottom layer modules in the corners, but not with each other.
Remember to open the modules at 90 degrees, but now they will open to the sides, since they are standing upright.
With one of the edges of the assembly nearest you, you will have two open pockets or boat shapes in front of you.
They should lie alongside each other and there will be a slit between them.
Step 12
Slide module 5 down with its left leg on the outside of the left boat shape and with its right leg inside the right boat shape.
Step 13
If you find it easier, you can temporarily bring the arms of this module down and tuck them along the left and right sides of the module, so they are out of the way for the moment.
Step 14
Carefully rotate the masu box so that its next corner is facing you.
You should recognize the two boat shapes again.
Repeat sliding module 6 into the two shapes as you did before, with its left leg on the outside of the left boat shape and with its right leg inside the right boat shape.
Step 15
Repeat with the two remaining middle layer modules.
4.3 Top layer
Explanation
Remember the sitting teddy bears of the bottom layer? In the top layer they instead lean in over a square table, with their feet hanging down and holding hands over the table. They will mirror the bottom layer.
Let's first examine and talk about our model so far.
Each face is diamond-shaped with flaps that fit into each other in a kind of rotating or pinwheel pattern. The only face we have completed in full is the one that is now resting on the table inside the masu box. The four other faces each still need a triangular flap to complete them. As we add the last four modules, we will also be completing the top or sixth face of the Butterfly Ball.
Turn one of the faces of the model so it is facing you. You should have a triangle at the bottom and two triangles standing up on the left and right. If these triangles seem to have collapsed inside the assembly, gently pull them towards you so they resemble the face of the cube.
Step 16
Between the left and right modules there is a slit. Slide the hanging legs of the top module vertically down, with its left leg inside the middle layer module to the left, and the right leg outside the module to the right.
As you add these last modules, you will be forming the sides as well as the top face of the model, so make sure that your units form the rotating formation that will be similar to all the faces of the Butterfly Ball.
Step 17
For the next two modules, proceed counter-clockwise and do the same except that the left arm should slide on the outside of the right arm of the neighbour top module to the left.
Step 18
For the final top layer module, do the same, except that now the right arm must slide inside the left arm of the first module.
In order to do that you will have to pull the top layer modules slightly apart while sliding the final module into place.
The top layer may be a bit more challenging since you are adding the last 4 modules to the already-formed structure as well as forming the top or last face of the cube. The many flaps may seem confusing at first, but if you are patient and work with the top layer a bit more, things will become clearer and you will be able to slot the last unit into place, which will stabilize the entire model and turning it into a fairly large, beautiful, symmetrical creation that will not fall apart with light handling.
5 Usage
You can of course use this model as a decoration, or to use it as an action model:
Place the Butterfly Ball on an open, flat hand, palm upwards. Throw the ball half a meter or so upwards.
Then, while the ball is falling down again, dash the palm quickly to slap the ball hard from below.
This will make the modules fall apart, to explode in a cloud of "butterflies", with the four tips of the Triangle Base resembling the wings.
Make it into a performance. Hold it in your palm and tell a story, e.g.:
1 - A bunch of butterflies have worked together to make this cube-octahedron (describe what that is).
2 - However, they are pretty nervous as they know what is about to happen.
3 - Shake your hand slightly to make the cube look nervous.
4 - Throw the cube about 50 cm into the air.
5 - Slap it hard with your hand from below.
6 - The ball will explode in a cloud of 12 "butterflies".
7 - As the butterflies hit the floor, you can hear a rustling sound.
8 - Ask the spectators for help with finding and catching the 12 butterflies.
Don't be afraid to do the exercise. With a bit of training and using the masu trick as a third hand, you can learn to assemble the ball again in a few minutes.
This page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License — Hans Dybkjær, papirfoldning.dk, 2024.
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