There are origami cranes. There are origami balls. And then there are origami crane balls.

What you’ll need:

12 sheets of origami papers for the crane

6 sheets of origami papers for the modular connectors

How to make the modular connectors from a pinwheel base:

Step 1: Make valley folds at the center horizontally, vertically and diagonally.

Step 2: Fold the sides vertically to the center, like doors (photo below center). Use the center crease as guide.

Step 3: Fold horizontally to the center.

Step 4: Open up the top half to form a trapezoid. Photo below center should be how it looks like. Do the same on the lower half.

Note: Similarities to pinwheel ends here. To make a pinwheel, just fold the upper left “arm” upward and lower right “arm” downward.

Step 5: Make a squash fold to form a square. A squash fold is when you pry open the paper… and squash to flatten it.

Step 6: Fold the bottom and right side edges to the center (diagonally)

Step 7: Do the same folds on the other corners. This is now your modular connector.

To learn how to make paper cranes, click here.

Assembly

Step 1: Connect one wing to a linking structure on the modular connector. If you notice, the linking structure has the same triangular shape as the wing so it should slot in perfectly.

Step 2: Slot in four cranes to one modular connector.

Step 3: Add the rest of the pieces. I find that it’s easier to attach one piece after the other as you go along, instead of making two separate modular connectors with cranes then assemble them together into a ball from there.

Photo below right is what it looks like in progress.

The final product, ODed in Instagram filters:

Like and follow away!