A STEM Project: Origami Stars For Polygons

 Origami Stars For Polygons

Shown above are three, four, five, six, eight and ten points stars. 

Count the points to determine the number of polygon sides.

I saw this origami star design in Cuttle. https://cuttle.xyz/@forresto/Parametric-Pinwheel-Paper-Purse-3YomdOUfLZoe and I was intrigued by it.  I recognized the design as a variation of the Puzzle Purse because the folds of the star are created by a parallelogram and a triangle.  Here is the brief history of the Valentine paper purse. https://louisamayalcott.org/virtual-valentine 

To make this design, a polygon of n-sides is placed in the center. A parallelogram and a triangle are then attached to each outer side of this polygon.  Once the design is cut out, the paper is folded whereby the parallelogram folds on top of the triangle to create a point for the star. The fold pattern is repeated for each n-side. When the figure is turned over, the original polygon is visible.

I coded the design in TurtleStitch,https://www.turtlestitch.org/users/Elaine/projects/Origami%20Stars%20For%20Polygons and then cut it out with the Silhouette Cameo. I am not offering the cut files for this design as I would like you to go to the TurtleStitch program and to execute the code with the desired number of points. Once the program is executed, save the file by going to the top left corner with file icon.  Export the file as a DXF file.  In the Silhouette software, open the file and cut it out.

To fold the star is simple.  The folding technique is the same for all polygons.  The center polygon is creased with a mountain fold and all of the points of the star are mountain folded as shown above.

  The remaining dotted lines are folded as valley folds.

The last few folds are a little difficult but perserverve.  The origami folding does work.