Cornflower should not be confused with cornflour, the latter being a starch-based powder derived from corn plants. Nope, corn flowers are annual, flowering plants in the Asteraceae family of plants. It used to be a weed commonly found in fields (and thus the term “cornfields” despite the fact that the field may not actually have corn crops in it.) Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction from overuse of herbicides, cornflowers are now on the UK “Back from the Brink” list. Not quite endangered, but on the brink. Despite its demise in the wild, cultivated, ornamental varieties of the plant thrive in gardens and floral shops.
The flowers are usually deep blue or shades of violet, though some hybrids can be lighter or darker in color. It’s not all beauty and color: the flowers are edible and can be used in salads and infusions of tea. Cornflower extracts have natural antiseptic properties and can be used to prevent eye infections or relieve tired eyes. This flower is the official flower of France; it is a political symbol in many other countries; and it is sometimes associated with royalty.
Real cornflowers have a ring of outer (ray) flowers and an inner cluster of smaller (disc) flower. The outer ray flowers are for show only; it is the inner disc flowers have the reproductive structures. The origami cornflower shown here probably represents one of the ray flowers because it does not look anything like the entire flower head.
Here we go:
Instructions for Origami Cornflower
Step 1:
Start with a square sheet of paper with the white-side facing up. Fold the paper along the diagonals in both directions; unfold. This gives you a “X” shaped crease. |
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Step 2:
Turn the paper over. |
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Step 3:
Fold the paper in half (top to bottom). |
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Step 4:
Gently push the top-left and top-right corners of the paper towards one another. |
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As you do this, the top layer will lift up. Observe the movement of the red dot. |
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A little more… |
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Swivel the flap of paper pointing towards you to the right. There should be a similar flap of paper behind the model: swivel this flap towards the left. |
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Step 5:
This shape is called a Preliminary Base and you see it a lot in origami. |
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Step 6:
Pry open the two layers of paper and… |
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Step 7:
Lift the right flap. |
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Step 8:
Like turning the pages of a book, swivel one flap of paper from right to left. Do the same behind: swivel one flap from left to right. |
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Step 9:
Repeat the squash fold as in step 5 above. Start by lifting the right flap. |
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Step 10:
Turn the model over and repeat the squash fold on the back side as in step 7. |
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Step 11:
Lift the top layer of paper and fold it back as far as possible/comfortable. This is shown in the next 3 photos. |
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Step 12:
Next, we will do 4 Squash folds. Lift one of the flaps so it points up towards you. |
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Step 13:
Repeat with another corner of the model: lift the corner up towards you. |
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Step 14:
Repeat the squash fold on the remaining two corners of the model. Lift the paper up. |
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Step 21:
Pry open the layers and squash down. |
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This is the basic, origami cornflower. All you have to do is to arrange the stem a bit so it is perpendicular to the petals. You can mold the flower a little to give it more volume.
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You can spruce up the flower by using harmony paper
