Tea Bag Folding Christmas Tree Pattern and More

For Christmas 2009 I decided to share and post the paper folding Christmas tree I developed for handmade greeting cards. This is a popular pattern of my own that was worked just for ACEO and the small folds for 2.5 X 3.5 inch collector cards.  After making about 10 collector cards I decided to try a bigger version for note cards. I found out in 2008 it was as popular as the small ones.

All over patterned paper makes a lovely tree. No need to print tiles. In the example that follows I randomly cut the tiles from 8 x11 inch laser printing stationary. Either approach I have found gets good reviews at craft fairs and art shows.

It takes me an evening of TV to completed one or two trees. So start paper folding so you will have a few done when they are needed.

STEP ONE

Start with 12 square tiles. Mine are 1 1/4 inches. I will use this tree for a note card 4.25 X 5.5 inches. The tree measures 3.5 inches high.






Fold into the water bomb.







Take the right flap bring to the middle and squish. Turn it over and squish the right flap again.









Fold under or clip the tip of the back side of your folded piece and adhere with a dab of glue. Make all twelve in the same matter.

STEP TWO

Glue three tiles together. Use a dab of glue under the wing flap. Line up and make as neat as possible.







In all make two three tile rows. Two two tile rows. and two singles.







Put small dab of glue in the top tips and slide into the next row just enough to hold them together. Your tree should look like the one to the left. Do not worry if it is a bit unstable. You will be gluing it down for your card.

If you count up from the bottom, row 3 has the tips cut on units 1 and 2 from the left. The unit just above also has the tip clipped. This allows the units to be glued slightly closer together, aiding in giving a better shape to the finished project.

One tree of each layout

STEP THREE

I did not use tiles that were alike for this tree. It looks natural this way. I will use a matching pen to color the edges to eliminate any paper cracking or white edging.

STEP ONE (p.s. You may click on any of the instruction photos for a larger view.)

If you have followed Paperfacets' previous lessons fold five units to look like the one here.
You can get this fold on Lesson 2 at Tea Bag Folding.



P. S. If you are totally new at this I suggest going to Tea Bag Folding and start at Lesson One.



Turn the unit over and fold the wings in to the center. See photo to the left.








Take the wing on the left: open and refold to the fold made previously as shown in last photo.

STEP TWO

With the tip of a pencil or barbecue skewer gently open your fold and squish to get a mountain fold.

Do the same with the bigger fold on the right.



Your units should look like those below to the left.

STEP THREE

Take two units. With the bigger mountain fold pressed flat, set the edge of the diamond up to the mountain using a dab of glue to adhere. There will be a 1/8 inch space between them, as in the picture below.

Work around with the remaining three units.



The back will look like this.

A card made from our medallion with embossing and black background accents.
This fold stands out and is very pretty.
Hint: You can make eight units and interlock them next to each other, leaving the spacing out. You will have a multi-petal look.

Looking at the back I got an idea for a snowflake. I made a template like in Lesson4 (Tea Bag Folding) and matched paper so white would show when folded. Hint: Double sided paper would be nice for this treatment, as well.

I used paper punches to give it extra interest and glued it on to a stylized heart to match the paisley. The white against the dark background really makes the medallion pop. It is six pointed like a snowflake but I ended up with a whole different look.

A template for a six tiled medallion can be printed below.

I have not used the back of this pattern before. This is invention at work.

Have fun paper folding!

This is an exercise on unit placement. New looks can be created by manipulating the tile layout.

Let's get started with eight units made like in Lesson 2. Tea Bag Folding and Pattern Instructions

Instead of interlocking at the tip of the diamond interlock the opposite end.
Example below.


A new card made with the medallion.

This next treatment is similar to Lesson 2 except and last four units placed under the first four are glued 1/2 way into the center.










Here is my new treatment. Six of the units are placed side by side with one at each end.

I have put all the links available about tea bag folding on the internet in one place.

No more searching. See it at....

..Web Links for the Craft of Tea Bag Folding.

Bookmark it and use it as your place to get new stuff about tea bag folding.

STEP ONE

Variations of the same fold is our highlight in these set of web lessons.. For this one start with eight tiles and make our origami water bomb fold.

Eight Tiles

Water bomb.

STEP TWO

With the tip facing down take the left top flap and fold down to point, as shown at left.












STEP THREE

Take the point and fold up to the top, as shown to the right.

STEP FOUR

Unfold, reshaped and form into a square. Do all eight squares the same.



Slip the point of the tile on the right between the flaps of the tile on top. Use a dab of glue to adhere.













Work your way around with all eight tiles.

Your finished project.

The finished medallion made into a light blue card of linen card stock.