Origami Page:
The Onesie

Mary Ellen Palmeri

Welcome to our monthly "Origami Page". Origami is folding paper and ending up with delightful figures and models, such as flowers, boxes and animals. This feature will showcase a different origami model in each monthly issue, with diagrams and photos to help readers learn how to fold them. Most models use one square of paper, some use a rectangle, and others use more than one piece of paper.

Click for printable file.

A 'onesie' is a one-piece garment for infants that is designed to be worn as a T-shirt - but onesies extend below the waist and are fastened below to keep them from riding up on a wiggling baby! "Onesie" is actually a brand name originated by Gerber Childrenswear but has been used generically for many one-piece clothing items. These garments were derived from the "union suit" - one-piece underwear invented during mid-19th century. They were originally developed for women, but became quite popular among men, and were often worn by cowboys and soldiers.

This origami onesie was developed from some of my origami shirt designs. Once folded it can be decorated in many ways, using colored pencils, markers, and decorative stickers. Then it can be added to a card, used as a gift tag, or by itself as a decoration. It can also be used as part of a birth announcement!

Happy folding.

Origami originated in ancient Asian cultures and has been adapted by contemporary artists worldwide to reflect their own cultures. Local artist Mary Ellen Palmeri has incorporated paper folding into many of her mixed media art paintings, and teaches origami classes locally and nationally. Some of her work can be seen in a Tucson Happenings feature here: Artist_Profile

All of her Paper Dream Paintings can be seen in her Etsy shop where custom matted art prints of her original work can be purchased. Go to: www.etsy.com/shop/LyricFineArts

Ms. Palmeri's original origami models have been published in books and magazines, she has been featured on broadcast media, and her mixed-media fine art works often include various original origami models. Origami LAFF (Lyric Arts Folding Fest) is a Tucson based club founded by Ms. Palmeri to provide a venue for sharing this art. The group meets monthly at a local library; for more details please contact the artist at info@lyric-arts.com