How to Make Origami With Coconut Palm Leaves
- 1). Select your palm leaf. Choosing which palm leaf is best depends greatly on the finished shape you are trying to make. If you are making a design that requires the frond to be split, look for a palm leaf that is wide enough to accommodate the number of splits you need to make. Typically, a longer frond is also better for most projects.
- 2). Use the knife to split the leaf per the design you are working with. Many palm leaf origami designs require the frond to be split at least once. Unlike the traditional square origami paper, palm leaves are significantly longer than they are wide. By splitting the leaf, many designs are able to create the width needed for their finished creation. Double-check your design's specific instructions to ensure you are cutting the right length. Many designs do not actually remove a strip of frond from the original frond, but instead begin to separate it several inches down from the base of the leaf so it remains attached.
- 3). Fold and weave the palm leaf. In traditional paper origami, you can use the paper's natural ability to hold a crease to help create some of shape of the finished piece; however, palm fronds are not as easily creased. Instead, many of the folds needed to make origami with palm leaves relies on braiding or knotting of the frond to hold it in place. Carefully follow the instructions for your particular design, to ensure the frond is being folded in the correct direction.
- 4). Protect your creation. Origami with palm leaves can be an intricate and time consuming process. Unlike paper used in traditional origami, palm fronds become more brittle as they age. To help make your creation last longer, coat the entire thing with clear nail polish. Be certain to coat both the sides of leaf with polish. The nail polish will also help secure the folds and braids.
