Crystal Goblet

Origami box-pleated goblet from one square

This is a box-pleated model that I designed circa 2007. It was selected for the 2007 OrigamiUSA Origami by Children exhibition. The paper is a single square of Wyndstone Marble. The crease pattern is available (PDF).

I used a novel technique to achieve the slightly flared top shown in the picture. I folded the model completely dry, inserted a small cup in the top, and wrapped the stem in a strip of fabric to keep it narrow. Then, I placed some hot water in the bottom of a container, placed the goblet on a platform above the water, and closed the container. The water vapor permeated the paper and partially dissolved the sizing so that when I opened the container to let the goblet dry, the paper dried into the desired shape. This uses the same principle as traditional wet-folding, but allows for the shaping of models that are more easily folded dry, particularly when some parts are not easily accessible.

Photograph of origami goblet. It has a circular base with a stem and decorative cup on top.
Photograph of the crystal goblet I entered for OUSA OBC 2007. Image © 2007 Jim Turner and licensed under CC BY‑SA 4.0.