viviano7wiston

I am budding origami enthusiast and I've been practicing origami for six months now. In this short span of time, I have kind of gotten addicted to this art. I am learning origami on my own and I've been referring to a few online websites and YouTube tutorials. So far I have made many basic origami designs to my credit.


Recently I happened to watch this YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5MW3qwbr4) of an origami fidget spinner that caught my attention and I attempted to make it on my own. Although I was successful in giving it an accurate shape, my spinner was so rigid that it just wouldn't spin. I don't know where I am going wrong but I really want to complete this properly because it is frustrating to get the design right but mess up on the actual operation.


Could anyone suggest the appropriate way as in, how should I fold the fidget spinner to get the least amount of friction in order to get it spinning without any hiccups? Feel free to also add your ideas about other designs that I could give a shot as a beginner. I would love to hear your experiences with origami as well. Looking forward to your replies.

ryangabriel

Origami is an amusing and enticing art that is gaining its popularity among the millennials. It's not a surprise that you are addicted to origami. I have been an origami freak since my teens and this art still continues to spark my interest.

Coming to your fidget spinner, if you want to have a perfectly rotating spinner then you must get familiar with pinwheel folds. I hope you might have made pinwheels during your initial trials with origami, but if not, then you should probably start working on it because although they seem simple and effortless, they require patience, persistence and a good sync of your fingers with the paper. Pinwheel base is the fundamental for a fidget spinner. You can take this link as a reference or you can explore YouTube for some other interactive videos on pinwheel folds - http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-pinwheel-base.html

Before working on the fidget spinner, your hands must get used to these folds. Keep practicing and exploring this art, I hope that you succeed in giving your fidget spinner that perfect spin.

viviano7wiston

Well, ryangabriel, I haven't really tried the pinwheel fold, as like I've said, I'm learning on my own and it did not occur to me that a pinwheel fold was important for making a fidget spinner. I think you are right, I should first get a hands-on experience with the pinwheel fold and then shift to making the origami spinner.

Thank you so much for this the idea of the pinwheel. I will definitely try it out and update my progress. I would also like to tell you that I have been following you on this forum and I really love the way you motivate people with your words and suggest some out of the box ideas (loved your idea about using wrapping rolls instead of the origami sheets in a previous post).

I'm glad that you've commented on my post and also offered me an appropriate approach to my problem. You surely are doing a great job. Keep motivating other origami enthusiasts like me. Good going.

TessaCharlie007

viviano7wiston, you should also try the origami squishy blob once you overcome your problems with the fidget spinner. Squishy blob will be yet another challenge for you it will definitely help innovate and brush up your creativity.

Do let me know your thoughts on making a squishy blob origami. My friend once made a squishy blob and I was so amused to see the wonders people can do with just a piece of paper. That inspired me to further delve into the technicalities of this art.

Here's the link to origami squishy blob that could help you if you ever plan to try something different with paper - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIWpLLfF1gc

And all the best with your fidget spinner, I hope you can get it right.

ryangabriel

That was quite flattering I must say viviano7wiston. I feel rather grateful to hear that people like you get inspired by my words. I'm only looking to promote this fine art.

My intentions are to guide anyone and everyone who has the talent and interest in origami but lacks the proper guidance. And don't worry if you haven't tried the pinwheel yet. It's better late than never. Best wishes from my side boy, ping me if you need any further help regarding origami.

viviano7wiston

Thanks for suggesting the squishy blob TessaCharlie007. I would definitely try that once I finish my battle with this fidget spinner.

viviano7wiston

Thank you so much ryangabriel for lending out a helping hand. I have started working on the pinwheel and I can understand the mistakes that I've made while making the fidget spinner. Thanks a ton, I wish I'm able to post videos of my perfectly spinning fidget spinner soon.