How-to – Page 4 – Green Chair Press Blog

How To: More Map Fold Variations

I’ve used this variation in my last two prompt challenge words. I got the idea from Jeannine, who said she “start(s) with 2 straight folds (horizontal and vertical) and only one diagonal.” Here’s how to fold it — in the fourth step below, reverse the crease on the diagonal fold to get a square that is half the size of the original sheet.

Another map or origami fold variation

I took 4 folded sheets and glued them to a backing sheet to get this:
4 folded sheets glued to backing sheet

Putting folded pages together Gluing the folded sheets back-to-back, and rotating each sheet 180 degrees as you glue, like the picture on the right, gives you an accordion book that has a wonderful slinky-like action to it. Below is a model I made that I hung up in my studio. Folded sheets glued together
My friend Cathy calls these “Lotus Books,” and she has an example here and more complete instructions in this PDF.
Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord calls them “diamond fold books” and she has more examples on her website.
All my posts on Turkish Map Folds, the variations and examples can be found here.

How to: Dissolving Views, Part 2

This is the second type of dissolving view mechanisms I made for a recent prompt challenge. I made a template and written instructions, should I want to make them again. This version requires more care and precision than the other technique. (Instructions for the other version are here.)

How to: Dissolving Views, Part 1

To both

to B

After working out how to make the dissolving view mechanisms for a recent prompt challenge, I spent some time making templates and writing instructions, should I want to make them again. This version is by far the easier of the two. Instructions for this version as well as a template are here. Later this week I’ll put up the template & instructions for the other version.

Book Covers for Match Boxes

Heather Mann shares a how-to and printable patterns for making book covers for tiny match boxes here.

How To: More on the Turkish Map Fold

After making my first prompt challenge book using the turkish map fold, I kept thinking about the fold and how I might use it in other books. I tried making a book with multiple folded pages, glued together, but the result was unsatisfying. The folds from the last couple of steps seemed to be in the way, making the pages difficult to open. So I tried stopping at the 5th step, where the page or sheet looks like the figure on the left.
I glued a few of these pages together but didn’t much like the results of that either. After more fiddling around, I tried gluing 2 folds together, turning the result 90 degrees, and gluing them to one half of a piece of card stock (with the point at the outer edge). The card stock is the same size as the original sheet of paper. When I glued another pair of folds to the other side of the card stock, I had a structure that opened quite wonderfully! And a place in the center for some text. (The 2 rectangles at either end make a cover that opens from the center.)

Opening the book reminded me of a flower blooming. Here’s a model I made, with one of my favorite Emily Dickinson poems, Bee! I am expecting you!

How To: Turkish Map Fold

I’ve used this folding technique for my book Summer as well for a book I did as part of my on-going prompt challenge, shown in this blog post. David Rosen taught me this fold. He had instructions on his website, but they (and it) have disappeared.
The photo above shows an example of the fold (an invitation to an exhibition of works by Julie Chen.)
Directions for the fold are here.

UPDATE: Click here to see other posts on the Turkish Map Fold and its variations.