Hobby Thread - April 11, 2026 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. It is that time of the year, a spin of the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) came up with paper folding as a theme for this Hobby Thread.

Paper folding? Yes. Read further...

What are you hobbying?

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. I understand that some people pay attention to military hardware, tactics and strategy as a hobby. Discussion of current military events permitted but must be made in the form of hobby commentary. Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.

Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.

Is paper folding a hobby? Sure. It takes precision, skill, patience and vision.

Going to need help from the gray boxes on this one. Dinos are not well known for manual folding dexterity. We have small brains and short arms.

Time for science:

Wonder if he folds the laundry at home:

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Traditional Japanese crane:

Step by step instructions if you prefer a non-video presentation with diagrams.

Animal origami:

Dino origami:

Rose origami:

Me: It is just folding paper. How hard can it be?
Also me: Who wanted a stupid folded paper flower anyway?

I bet some 'ettes would wear origami crane earrings:

A Beginner's Guide to Origami Techniques (Japanese Paper Folding)

In the 7th century, Japan mastered the technique of paper-making and developed the recipe for washi paper, a thin but durable material that became one of the staples of Japanese art. It was used for calligraphy, woodblock printing, clothes making (proper washi is hard to tear and resistant to moisture), and even restoration and conservation. Thin pieces of washi paper are used to restore old books, artworks on paper, and paintings. During World War II, the Japanese forces used washi paper as the base material for balloon bombs. However, one of the most famous applications of washi paper is origami.

Initially, origami existed in a much simpler form and was associated with specific ways of wrapping gifts or temple offerings in paper. It was used for religious ceremonies and decorations and was extremely expensive. At that time, washi paper production was slow and expensive thus, the material was scarce and treasured. Origami butterflies were often presented to newlywed couples as symbols of bride and groom. The rules of folding were less strict, and the final result supposedly looked a lot different from the origami we know now.

Yoshizawa was a self-taught origami master. His skill was first noticed when he began implementing origami to teach geometry and draughtsmanship to factory employees. He used folded paper forms to explain the nuances of the draught-making process. In his book, he categorized and recorded the most common folds and actions used in origami and invented a symbol for each of them, thus making it easy to record and follow even the most complex multi-step processes. Yoshizawa is credited for reviving the origami practice and introducing it to new generations.

Paper airplane adjacent: anyone remember these balsa airplanes? They are still manufactured and sold (albeit a little more expensive than you likely remember).

This has nothing do with paper or origami, but I could not resist including an F-117 made from an empty Mountain Dew can.

This is way, way down the 3D printing rabbit hole, but thought some of you might appreciate. Apparently, we're 3D printing in metal now?

If this isn't your world, keep scrolling. If it is, you're welcome.

Wow. Sir, we salute you.

If you're intrigued by painting or illustrations or old-school hand drawn animation, this video is for you:

Hat tip: NorCal Sierra Foothills Lurker

Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an Easter theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

Notable comments from last week:

Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, contribute your own. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

posted by Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

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