Origami Page:
Shirt with Open Front

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.

I’ve enjoyed folding and creating origami clothes for quite some time, and this little shirt with an open front is one of my own designs. It is made from a 1:2 rectangle, which is easily made by cutting a square in half.

I wanted a variation from the standard origami tops that usually have solid fronts. This model can be modified to become an over-blouse by sliding a piece of colored paper under the flaps to represent perhaps a shell underneath. It is also easy to slide the waist of a skirt or pants under the front flaps.

A unique aspect of this model is the open collar; many origami tops have collars but most of them have a solid section of paper filling in the neck space. Not a big deal unless you decide to add a head to the shirt… then it looks unnatural having the space covered where the neck should be. Also, the sleeves of this model can be modified by folding over a very small edge to form a little cuff [see step 9a]; the trim will have the same color as the back of the paper.

This shirt can also be folded using paper money, but since the proportion of money is different than a 1:2 rectangle I skip step 2. The money folded shirt makes a great restaurant tip; try it sometime!

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