What are your favorite origami memories?

Joe the white · Post by **Joe the white** » December 21st, 2006, 12:54 am

Thought this would add an interesting topic to the forums, I searched and didn't find such a thread, though I appologize if there is and I didn't see it.

One of my first fond memories was when I was in 7th grade. I had gone to the book fair at school and discovered an origami book. I remembered folding and creating some simple models in the 5th grade, and I was excited to find a book on the subject.

My second favorite memory was when I finally figured out that move to form the wings on Joseph Wu's Flying Pig. It was much more simple than I had made it out to be in my head, but I blame it on myself since I had yet to take the time to learn the meanings of all the folding diagram symbols.

My third favorite would have to be my first convention (and hopefully it wasn't my last) at OUSA. I had a wonderful time and got to meet many wonderful folders and creators, such as Robert Lang, John Montroll, Daniel Robinson and many others including Wolf from these forums. It also included the class on Robert Lang's Dragonfly (varileg), being a first timer I think he may have been suprised or possibly agitated that I had joined his class, being that there are a few warnings telling you to not get in over your head. I had missed some landmarks early on in the model and decided to watch the others go through with the rest of the class. It ended with Robert asking us to sink the flaps of the base in and out as homework in preparation for the second part of the class the next day. I had folded the base by following the CP over night and showed up for part two of the class the next day. I believe I suprised him again by showing up and completing the model. I did however make the mistake of comenting that my dragonfly had a "belly-button" (a stress point in the paper had caused a small rip in the japanese foil) with which Robert replied "I don't believe I've ever seen a dragonfly with a navel". I was somewhat embarassed at my word choice, but in the end it was a good experience from the convention, and Robert ended up giving me his dragonfly from the class. It was great fun to sit at a table with other skilled folders and meet so many designers. The origami shopping was also quite good, I still have many trinkets and special papers, including some 3ftx3ft japanese foil. I very much hope to attend again this year. Maybe I'll finally meet Joe the Wu.

avatar · Post by **avatar** » December 21st, 2006, 7:24 pm

My favorite would have to be when I finally figured out the original Kawasaki rose without the diagrams. It took me forever! I was elated when I finished the first one correctly though!

dogs rock012 · Post by **dogs rock012** » June 30th, 2007, 12:47 am

my favorites are when i first found out about origami and when I made my first design, the crane double crane taco! it wasnt that good but ok for a first try.

origamimasterjared · Post by **origamimasterjared** » June 30th, 2007, 1:20 am

As much as I hate diagramming, that feeling after completing a set of diagrams is phenomenal.

When I first folded Satoshi Kamiya's Phoenix 3.0 CP years ago, that was pretty sweet, because as far as I know, I was the only person to have done it at the time.

When I've created things at the request of others and they love them is another.

Those are three that stick out.

~folder~of~paper~ · Post by **~folder~of~paper~** » June 30th, 2007, 2:04 am

My favourite origami memory was going to a scrapbooking festival, buy heaps of lovely paper and folding it into amazing creations!

No, probably accomplishing LaFosse's Squirel at the age of 11... or was it 12... I don't even remember, all I know is I did it. That's all that matters right?

JeossMayhem · Post by **JeossMayhem** » June 30th, 2007, 2:56 am

Hmm, I have so many memories but I can't seem to rank them, so here are some top ones in no particular order.
-Going to the Origami House and seeing all of the fantastic models there, truly inspiring. Then buying two or three of their books, including Works of Satoshi Kamiya from Kamiya himself. Then finishing up by taking a photo with him and gettin his autograph in the book. Ah......

-Going on an origami paper shopping spree at Kurasawa in Tokyo. I have so many sheets of various types of paper, I have no clue how I'm going to find the time to use it, but just knowing it's there is comforting.
-The instance my mom told me I had surpassed her level of skill a couple of years ago. After being introduced to origami and taught by her, I practiced and figured things out on my own. Knowing how far I had come and accomplished was indescribable.

I wish I had the ability to decipher CPs like Jared, because I can imagine the feeling of accomplishing something as taxing and difficult as that. But I think the best memories would be made if I could design something that would become popular, and in a way, give back to the community that brought you up.

denori · Post by **denori** » June 30th, 2007, 10:47 am

Going to my first convention. And the sound of 100+ people folding the first model of the convention.

LuvOrigami · Post by **LuvOrigami** » July 1st, 2007, 12:20 am

I remember when I first learned how to make a lucky straw star. That's what first got me started into origami. I searched on the internet for hours and hours and I finally found it.

I really like to make modular origami models (the ones made from the triangles). I made two models (of monuments) for school as projects, and one of them consisted of around 14000 folded triangles. I really hope that I can go to a convention and show my models someday...but I don't know if people show this kind of modular origami or not...

Soon I'll post some pics of my models up

perrosaurio · Post by **perrosaurio** » July 1st, 2007, 3:49 pm

nice experiences

I remember one, not totally nice but I laughed a lot after when I was back in home. Was when I was travelling through China on 2000, in a train between two cities, the journey took 12 hours and I was unable to get a night ticket so I was seated with three other chinese fellows for a long time, and let's say that my mandarin skills resisted the first hour and a half

, so I decided to make the few origami models I knew by the time. I' ve already had made a kawasaki rose, a lucky bat, an unicorn and an african elephant. When I finished a Perry Bailey's squirrel I raised my head and founded myself surrounded, by all the people from the carriage, about 20+ persons, making a big circle around me, watching what the "meikuo ren" was doing; there were a lot of children, grown men, ladies, a couple of old guys who picked up my squirrel and started to discuss about it very seriously... it was really amazing. But then a police man appeared; things on China are very strict, and any gathering of people is heavily controlled, specially if an "american" is involved. He started to shout at me very angry and fast, and I only could discern single words like "hotel", "passport", "city of destiny", quite an stressing moment..., tourists were not supposed to travel alone backpacking freely on those days.

But I went through that and now I laugh at it

well end of the history, regards...

Cupcake · Post by **Cupcake** » July 1st, 2007, 6:03 pm

Meeting Joseph Wu in Vancouver would be one... Hmm... ahh yes, designing my first model through doodling (I will have been designing for one year as of July 3rd), and joining this forum (one year from today)

rockmanex6 · Post by **rockmanex6** » July 1st, 2007, 11:23 pm

yes in Japon special had good time ago. We fold nice nice and they teach some good ones meakawa, musashi & hojo.

eric_son · Post by **eric_son** » July 2nd, 2007, 10:58 am

Forgive the lengthy post:

Back in 1995, an origami exhibit was held at a hotel near where I worked. I eagerly went to the exhibit. There I saw a lot of traditional models as well as some works that appeared in the book, Origami for the Connoisseurs. One of the prized models in the exhibit was a bouquet of Kawasaki roses.
At the center area of the exhibit was a mountain of paper and some diagrams for making a crane.
A friend who accompanied me to the exhibit asked me if I knew how to make that rose. I said yes. And she asked me to make one. So I picked up a piece of paper from the pile and started folding a Kawasaki rose.
Then, one of the security guards saw me and accused me of swiping one of the roses from the exhibit!!! To prove my innocence, I took another sheet of paper and folded another rose. But that didn't work. The adamant security guard insisted that I stole a rose. Finally, the host supervisor told the guard that the bouquet of Kawasaki roses were not touched....and he let me go.

Runner up:
1992, I was applying for my first job in a Japanese firm. After my Japanese interviewer finished grilling me with the technical stuff, he looked at the "misc" section of my resume and saw that my hobby was Origami.
He then asked me to make a sample and placed a stack of used paper in front of me.
I proceeded to make a crane (tsuru). It immediately put a smile on his face (and on mine...hehehe).
The interview ended and a day later, I the HR manager called me up to tell me I was hired. (Dunno if the origami crane had anything to do with that though..)

Android raptor · Post by **Android raptor** » July 3rd, 2007, 2:25 pm

-When I was in the 7th grade we learned about Japan in Social Studies. The teacher had diagrams for a few simple models, including the crane. Though I certainly wasn't the folder I am today; after failing miserably at folding the crane from diagrams, a girl finally showed me how to do it. After that we had a bit of a rivalry for who could make the smallest crane

-Getting into origami as a serious hobby about a year later.

-Making my first doll around the summer of 03'. Still have him too.

-Folding my first sort of complex model (what's-his-face's flying dragon) sometime between 2003-2004.

-Getting an Artist's Alley table for the first time last Anime Weekend Atlanta and doing surprisingly well

Cupcake · Post by **Cupcake** » July 3rd, 2007, 3:34 pm

Well, it's been one year now since I made my first design... I have a feeling I'll have to do something special and post it on my blog (maybe just design something...)... Don't know yet

So, Android Raptor, who won? (folded the smallest crane)

JeossMayhem · Post by **JeossMayhem** » July 3rd, 2007, 6:38 pm

I think you mean Charles Esseltine's 'Dragon in Flight'.