A STEM Project: A Rubber Band Pop-Up Gingerbread House Card

A Rubber Band Pop-Up Gingerbread House - Side View #1

Side View #2 

Here is a video of the pop-up in action.

 This rubber band pop-up card is an engineering marvel.  It combines a rubber band mechanism with a house which pops-up when removed from an A4 envelope. An A4 envelope is 4 1/4 in. x 6 1/4 in. The recipient of this card will be astonished when the flat card opens into this amazing three dimensional gingerbread house for Christmas.

The rubber band expands when the base is pressed down at the seam that is opposite to the internal diagonal.  When the side pressure is released, the expansion tension on the rubber band is released and the rubber band returns to its natural state  This phenomenon allows the form to deploy and become three dimensional.

For my papercrafting friends, no coding is necessary.  All the files for the pop-up gingerbread house are included. 

The entire gingerbread design with the embellishments were coded in TurtleStitch and then opened in the Silhouette program for cutting. 

Here is the PDF.  I used 65 lb. white and green cardstock, red foil cardstock and red glitter cardstock. I used the back of the red foil cardstock for the gingerbread man as it was brown.

A one inch rubber band is required for the pop-up base. (The rubber band is similar to the rubber band used on a Rainbow Loom.) I also used one glue dot. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12O37FcPuca1gr_Jo-tSYl6Qg25h5F5EX/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MoT9Dy0f-GbjRvE8-1be1iIfegeVI7Jx/view?usp=sharing

Here is the SVG.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DzoLWB69IIgOtZ8adLmKlTnNwtF_sB5u/view?usp=sharing

Make the Pop-Up Rubber Band Base - Here is the code that I used to create this pop-up rubber band base in TurtleStitch. https://www.turtlestitch.org/users/Elaine/projects/Rubber%20Band%20Pop-Up%20Mechanism

There are two sides to the rubber band base. Each side is folded over to create a two-ply base. Crease the paper as shown above.  

Glue the folded sides together.

Glue the tabs together. Make sure that the slits are going in the same direction.

Slide the one inch rubber band into the slit and align the rubber band with the round hole in the base of the slit.

Fold the base so that a square is made with a diagonal in the middle.  Slide the rubber band into the slit and align the rubber band as before. There is a gap in the diagonal.

Apply a Glue Dot into this gap.

Rubber Band Base

The base can be flattened when the corners without the diagonal are pressed inward.

Make the Gingerbread House - Here is the code that I used to create this gingerbread house and roof in TurtleStitch.  https://www.turtlestitch.org/users/Elaine/projects/Gingerbread%20Cottage%20-%20Rubber%20Band%20Pop-Up

Wrap and glue the velum to the pop-up base as shown above.  Do not use a lot of glue.  I glued just the base of the vellum.

Apply glue to the top and bottom of the vellum as shown above.

Fold the gingerbread house wrap around the vellum.

Apply glue on the roof beam and fold in half.

 Splay the side tabs outward as shown above.

Glue the splayed tabs to the peak of the house on both sides.  Allow the roof beam to dry before proceeding.  Apply a good amount of glue to the top of the roof beam as shown above.

Glue the one roof piece to the other roof piece.

Center the smaller roof piece to the center and apply a good amount of glue to the center seam.

Attach the roof to the gingerbread house.  Make sure that the roof is centered by looking at the overlap of the roof on both sides.

Embellish the Gingerbread House with a Gingerbread man, swirls candy, candy canes and a wreath with a bow.

 

Glue on the embellishments to the house as desired. 

The tree was created by gluing two trees together at the dotted center line with a thin line of glue.  Once the glue is dry, the top tree is splayed outward.

Here is the code that I used to create this tree in TurtleStitch. https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=tree 

Here is the code that I used to create the gingerbread man in TurtleStitch.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Gingerbread%20Man%20

Here is the code that I used to create the swirls candy in TurtleStitch.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Swirls%20Candy

The candy cane was made by glueing two types of cardstock together. The one layer with the swirls was white cardstock and the other layer was red foil cardstock.

Here is the code that I used to create these candy canes in TurtleStitch.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Candy%20Cane

The bow on the wreath was made with red glitter cardstock.  The center circle of the bow was glued on and then the entire bow was glued to the wreath.

Here is the code that I used to create this wreath and bow in TurtleStitch.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Gingerbread%20House%20Wreath%20with%20Bow

Oval Slice Form Pumpkin with Thanksgiving Scene Inside

Oval Slice Form Pumpkin with Thanksgiving  Scene Inside

To see the individual slices of the Thanksgiving scene, I recommend looking at the PDF file below.

The Thanksgiving scene can rotate as there is a gear in the base of the design.

I  used Neenah brand 65 lb Champagne Pearl metallic cardstock from Office Depot.  The lettering on the round base that says "Happy Thanksgiving" can be cut out from card stock, Foil Quilled or sketch penned.

Here is the PDF. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gw1vDdyDNk6G7K9g9RUEDaZVbGb7Htmp/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ab4S7cbL60huRoVkdTIAPd6Sf_adKA7N/view?usp=sharing

Here is the SVG. The file goes beyond the viewable area.  Zoom out to see the entire file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YLDBgMU8DgP0gZVoT-20oiPlcwxRzRm2/view?usp=sharing

The directions to make the slice form are in this blog post.https://papercraftetc.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-birthday-slice-form-sphere-that.html

The brown slices for the stem are slid into the yellow stem that is protruding from the yellow center oval slice. Glue on the leaves and the two strips that have been curled to complete the model.

 

A Pumpkin Picking Diorama for Fall

  

A Pumpkin Picking Diorama for Fall

The diorama depicts a boy and girl picking pumpkins in a farm. The little girl is picking a pumpkin to place I the boy's cart.  The little boy is pushing a cart of pumpkins. A family of deer is in the distance with a barn and windmill embellishing the scene.

Eight double thickness tabs keep the diorama scenes together.

Pretty paper is glued to the front of the first scene.

The tabs slide into the sides of the scenes.

Here is the PDF file. I  used Neenah brand 65 lb Champagne Pearl metallic cardstock from Office Depot and a sheet of "Wild Field" DCWV paper from Joanns. I recommend using a new blade and overcut to cut out this design as the intricate pieces might not cut correctly.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sGaqcqu_h9tjclVjbIDrbBnRZEJCU5xJ/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1acxdnm0iU28TvOZ7PEVIjo5JyiA0ttby/view?usp=sharing

Here is the SVG. The file goes beyond the viewable area.  Zoom out to see the entire file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aqxNTyJJOBMFWE0X-7TQ3UKl6MQrnXfs/view?usp=sharing

A Pretty Pumpkin Picking Diorama for Fall

A STEM Project: Comparing Three Different Methods of Coding a Sine Wave

Coding a Sine Wave in TurtleStitch Using the Sine Wave Equation y = a sin(Fx)

 Sashiko design called Hokusai

After coding the Sashiko design called Hokusai,  Cynthia Solomon challenged me to code a sine wave with just Arcright/Arcleft.  While the sine wave is not a circle, the arc commands can emulate the sine wave in small segments with adjustments made by a turn block.

In the following TurtleStitch program https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Sine%20Wave%20Equation, I created three routines to make a sine wave. 

I used the following equation to code the sine wave.

  

Sine Wave Equation Code

y = a sin(Fx)

where:

a is the amplitude - makes the wave taller or shorter

F  is the frequency - how close the waves are together

This code creates an exact replica of a sine wave.

Arcright/Arcleft Code

This code uses arcright/arcleft to make the sine wave.

No calculations were made, just visual clues were used to code the sine wave. I coded this by using the original sine wave and then tracking the course of the curve with the turtle.  I used a different pen color to illustrate the arc's path. With trial and error, using different values of arcs and turns I created this sine wave.

The red curve is the calculated sine wave equation and the blue curve is the arcright/arcleft. You will notice the the blue curve is not an exact replica of the original because it is difficult to achieve the exact path with trial and error.

Turns and Moves Code

This code uses Turns and Moves to make the sine wave. I broke up the code into four sections so that you could see the receptive nature of the code.

No calculations were made, just visual clues were used to code this sine wave. I coded this by using the original sine wave and then tracking the course of the curve with the turtle.  I used a different pen color to illustrate its path. With trial and error, using different values of turns and moves, I created this sine wave.

The red curve is the calculated sine wave equation and the green curve is the turn/moves. Notice the green curve is not an exact replica of the coded "Sine Wave" because it is tedious to follow the path of the  original sine wave with trial and error.

Comparing the Three Methods of Coding a Sine Wave

While all three sine waves look similar, only one of these waves is exactly correct.  

The red sine wave is the coded sine wave equation. The blue and green sine waves are an approximation.  

It is also interesting to see the number of blocks that each method has used to create the sine wave.  The first column is the sine wave equation.  The second column is the arcright/arcleft blocks.  The third column onward is the turn and move blocks. 

By comparing the length of each code, you can see that the coded sine wave equation is half the length of the arcright/left code. The arcright/arcleft blocks are one-fourth the length of the turn/move blocks. The coded sine wave equation is one-eighth the length of the turn/move blocks. While the arcright/arcleft blocks simplify the code,  the coded equation is the shortest in length.

In conclusion, I think it is very interesting to compare and contrast the three coding methodologies.  It shows that there are multiple ways to achieve a goal when accuracy doesn't count. When precision is required, coding with equations is the simplest and most accurate method of coding in TurtleStitch.

A STEM Project: Coding a SIne/Sinusoidal Wave In TurtleStitch

The pattern above is similar to a Sashiko design called Hokusai.

This pattern was created in TurtleStitch using different sine/sinusoidal wave orientations.

 

The difference between a sine wave and a sinusoidal wave is a sine wave oscillates in a smooth repetitive pattern centered at zero across the x-axis, with a regular phase and amplitude.

The sine wave equation is y = sin(x)

A sinusoidal wave has a general shape of a sine wave but it could either follow a sine or cosine function or any shifted version of these functions. The sinusoidal equation is y = a sin(Fx - p) + d

In the following TurtleStitch program, I created a program where you can compare different types of sine/sinusoidal waves.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/users/Elaine/projects/Sine%2FSinusoidal%20Wave%20

Using the sinusoidal equation, y = a sin(Fx - p) + d, I created the Sashiko design called Hokusai.

Here is a link to my Hokusai TurtleStitch program.

https://www.turtlestitch.org/run#cloud:Username=Elaine&ProjectName=Sashiko%20%2d%20Hokusai%20%231

A Paper Jigsaw Puzzle Stand

A Paper Jigsaw Puzzle Stand

The Paper Jigsaw Puzzle Stand holds the box top for easy viewing.

I love jigsaw puzzles.  Did you know that there are jigsaw competitions who compete to see who is the fastest puzzler? I haven't joined any yet but I am trying to improve my speed.  I can do a 300 piece puzzle in approximately one hour. There are some puzzlers who can do a 500 piece puzzle in under 30 minutes!  I don't think I will ever be able to compete with that time.  This week there was a world competition in Spain sponsored by the puzzle company, Ravensburger. https://www.worldjigsawpuzzle.org I am amazed at the times of the competitors.

In this blog posting, I created a paper puzzle stand for the jigsaw box top. I saw some plastic stands online for approximately $15 but I was too cheap to purchase one.  I created this one instead. I hope you all can use one.  My paper jigsaw puzzle stand helps when viewing the design on the box top. 

 

The Paper Jigsaw Puzzle Stand holds the box at a nice angle.

 

Instead of having to prop up the box top at a right angle or have it lie flat on the table.

I recommend using 110 lb  cardstock for the puzzle stand.  As an alternative, cut the design twice using 65 lb. cardstock and glue them together to create a sturdy stand. I used a tape runner to glue the two pieces of paper together, using a watery glue like Elmer's causes the paper to warp.

Here is the PDF if you want cut out the puzzle stand with scissors. Print the design on cardstock and then cut it out. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u1rppE6AWk7yzKlhFh2sQDklYRSKlRJA/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file for the Silhouette paper cutter.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UXjkUhM-JGOcPF2NkSL5zU8kJjxHWl61/view?usp=sharing

Here is the SVG for all other electronic paper cutters like the Cricut.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a2V7gWeupkcmHLB8uRZoWdMwRsxBpTqq/view?usp=sharing

My strategy is to sort all of the jigsaw pieces by color and then do the edge of the puzzle.

Hope everyone has fun puzzling!

A STEM Project: Making a 16 x 16 inch Pillow Using Nine Squares of TurtleStitched Adinkra Embroidery Panels

A 16 x16 inch Pillow Using Nine Squares of TurtleStitched Adinkra Embroidery Panels

Adinkra are African symbols which represent different concepts, proverbs or aphorisms. Nine of these Adinkra designs were used to create this 16 x 16 inch pillow. I recreated these designs by coding them and embroidering them using TurtleStitch.  Here are my coded Adinkra designs in TurtleStitch. https://www.turtlestitch.org/projects/search/adinkra

When TurtleStitching the design for this pillow, I coded each design so that each would be no bigger than 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches.  Once embroidered, each of the nine designs were cut to create nine,  4 x 4 inch squares.

Materials Needed To Make a 16 inch x 16 inch pillow

9 - 4 x 4 inch TurtleStitch embroidered squares
1/2 yard backing fabric

16 x16 inch Pillow Form

Cutting Layout - Cut out the strips using the cutting diagram below for the backing fabric

 

The result of the cuts will be: 

- Two strips of 16 x 11 inches

- Eight strips of 16 x 1 7/8 inches of which four of the strips are cut further to create sixteen strips of 4 x 1 7/8 inches  

Please note: The final measurement of the pillow is 15 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches.  This measurement allows for a plumper pillow.  

Sew the Squares Together 

Arrange the strips of fabric around the nine TurtleStitched squares.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew the 4 x 1 7/8 inch strips to the sides of the squares as shown above. Repeat for all rows.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew the four 16 inch x 1 7/8 inch strips to the rows of three squares.

My 1/4 inch seam allowance was not exact so I evened up the 16 inch square by cutting the excess fabric around the edges. Set this piece aside.

Sew the Back Panels of the Pillow

Fold the 16 x 11 inch piece of fabric under a 1/4 inch on the 16 inch long side. Repeat to make another 1/4 inch fold and sew an 1/8 inch seam.

Repeat for the second piece of 16 inch by 11 inch fabric.

Place the two 16 x 11 inch pieces of fabric with the seams overlapping so that the backing fabric is a 16 x 16 inch square. The right side of the fabric is facing upward.

Place the embroidered 16 x 16 inch square on top of the back panels. Sew the four sides of the square using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Turn the fabric right side out and insert the pillow form to complete the pillow.

The meaning of the Adinkra designs starting at the top left of the pillow are: 

Abusua Pa - A symbol of family unity, kinship ties, and family support.

Akoma Ntoso -  understanding and agreement, harmony within communities.

Nsaa -  It is a symbol of excellence, genuineness, authenticity

Sankofa -   if you forget and you go back to get it, there is nothing wrong with it.

Ananse Ntentan -  means spider web. a symbol of wisdom, craftiness, creativity, and the complexities of life.

Denkyem -   means “crocodile.” It is a symbol of adaptability, cleverness

Name Due -  Symbol of God's presence and protection

Nea Onnim -  a symbol of knowledge, life-long education and the continued quest for knowledge.

Abab -  It is a symbol of strength, seat of power, authority, and magnificence.