Fun with an Origami Slinky!

Written byย Russell |ย Beginner, Models, Videos

3

Origami Slinky designed by Gay Merril Gross "Fun with an Origami Slinky" www.origamiexpressions.comI went out with this girl the other night, she wore this real slinky numberโ€ฆShe looked great going down the stairs.
Milton Jones

ย 

About the Origami Slinky

Doesnโ€™t everyone love a Slinky? I always find them vaguely hypnotic when they go down the stairs, or from one hand to another. The origami slinky is inherently more fragile and doesnโ€™t make the same noise (it is made of paper after all), but it is reassuringly realistic in the way that it works โ€“ even if this one is a little short.
This design is by Gay Merrill Gross, based on a module created by Laura Kruskal. I often get told that I make the models I feature on this blog sound far simpler than they actually are, but this one really is extremely simple! The video tutorial is very clear, there is no knowledge of special intricate moves required. ย If you can fold a piece of paper in half reasonably accurately, you can make the origami slinky.

ย 

Folding the Origami Slinky

You need a minimum of 24 modules to make the Slinky, although more would be better. ย The one in the picture is made from 30. Each module is made from a 2:1 rectangle, so cutting a square in half makes the paper for two modules. ย Each module takes about four minutes to make, so the whole origami Slinky will take about an hour and a half to make. Any paper will do, and any colour. Iโ€™ve used origami paper in a range of colours, but you could just as easily use white printer paper. ย Itโ€™s easier to just use origami paper though, as you can get the right size paper just by cutting the paper in half.

ย 

Origami Slinky Instructions

Leyla Torres has produced a video showing how to fold the individual modules needed and how to assemble them into an origami Slinky. The same video also shows how to assemble the modules into a chain. ย This video is excellent and explains every step very clearly. Further videos are available on her website Origami Spirit.

ย 

A Challenge!

If youโ€™re familiar with my olympic rings design, you canย make an origami slinky using the folding sequence for rings and link them together in exactly the same way as Gay Merril Grossโ€™s design. This will take a little longer to fold, but will result in an origami slinky that is thinner, slightly more robust and with a little more springiness to it. Iโ€™ll leave you to figure that out on your own!

ย 

Get Involved

Iโ€™d love to hear your views on this origami slinky or any other origami toys. ย Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below, or you find can me onย Instagramย orย Twitter. Check out myย Pinterest boardsย too!

You can also subscribe to the mailing list byย entering your emailย in the box below:

ย 

If you enjoyed this post, here are some more to check out:

About the Author

Russell

Russell has been folding origami since he was 8 years old and has recently written the book, Origami Made Simple. He is on the Council for the British Origami Society and a member of OrigamiUSA. When he is not folding, he enjoys photography and traveling.

    • Hi Peter. Thanks for commenting. Itโ€™s a bit of fun! Pretty simple to make and I was surprised how well it works.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

    ย Available nowย 

    Free E-book:

    5 Easy Origami Models Anyone Can Fold!

    new

    5 Easy

    Origami Models Anyone Can Fold!

    >