i've been fascinated by origami tessellations since i first discovered them. the beauty and precision of their geometry, the tactile quality of the surface they create, the play of light and shadow in the folds. i assumed they must be impossibly brain-bending to create and i wasn't that far wrong :D

eric gjerde's inspirational book manages to make them achievable in a step-wise fashion, given enough patience and attention to detail.

each piece is made from a single sheet of paper, folded into a regular grid (either square or triangular) along which various folds and twists are worked to create the intricate patterns.

patience really is the key, when you have to fold a grid of 3,200 tiny triangles you know know you're in it for the long haul :D the grid stage is a meditative process and accuracy then lays the foundation of a happy outcome. i view it much like warping a loom - as half the work, rather than a necessary evil before the real work can begin.

using translucent papers shows off the beauty of the technique to it's full effect. the above piece was made from glassine and turned into a postcard by mounting onto clear plastic with a final layer of glassine for writing/addressing purposes.

the above piece is just the central section of eric gjerde's 3.6.3.6 pattern (i'm still lost when it comes to the numbering system). using a soft handmade paper was tricky as the techniques are best suited to something crisper, but i think the result was worth it.

the finished pieces tend to need some kind of stabilisation. to keep the soft, light quality of this piece i stitched around the perimeter. i like that it lets you see the back, which, with its woven quality is just as magical to me as the front.