Himmeli-Look Ornaments

Himmeli-look geometric decorations are a very popular craft trend. I read about them recently in this fun article by Rachel Basinger in the Guardian's Do Something supplement. I bought a pack of paper straws and got to work with a tapestry needle and my baker's twine. Well - I could appreciate the appeal, but I didn't have the patience. All that knotting.  So, of course I got to thinking about how you could approximate the look in digital papercrafts. And I have been on a Himmeli-Look binge ever since. 

Quick background info: Himmeli ornaments are traditional Finnish Christmas decorations. They were originally made using real straw, but now are made with paper straws or metal tubing. There are some pretty fantastic creations around. Mega-mobiles, lighting fixtures. Google it!

Anyway, back to my papercraft Himmeli: they are easy to fold and assemble because all the sides just need to be creased in half. They almost assemble themselves. I have designed lots of shapes, but I am starting you out easily with these pretty pendant-type ornaments.

You can make two styles of Prism from the template: jingle bell pendant or shape-within-a-shape.

Here are your free files:
Himmeli-LookPrism.pdf 
Himmeli-LookPrism.studio3 
Himmeli-LookPrism.svg 

Bow.pdf
Bow.studio3 
Bow.svg 

Himmeli-Look Prism Ornaments

All-in-one Prism (jingle bell)

1 Cut out the shapes. Digital papercutting is best.

2 You can either score-and-crease the folds or simply crease the folds by folding each strut in half. If you score-and-crease, use a fine-point embossing tool held agains a metal ruler. Use a bone folder to crease the folds.

3 Cut a piece of craft thread and loop through a jingle bell. Decide where you want the bell to fall within the pendant and make a knot in the thread that distance from the bell. A double-knot, in fact. 

4 Fold the prism with the jingle bell cord extending outside. Glue the tabs - the long one, and the shorter base tab. Tah-dah: your finished faux Himmeli pendant. 

Two-in one Prism Ornament
This is so much easier than it looks. Simply fold the Himmeli-look diamond for the base, then glue on the open-base pyramid on top.
Thread a hanging loop through the top.

I've also given you a papercraft bow for a finishing touch.

There's more to come, coming attraction above. The Himmeli-look shapes are modular units, and it's like being a construction-toy mad kid in a toyshop! You can make garlands, mobiles, wreathes - all sorts of papermakes.

So - I hope that I have not offended Himmeli traditionalists, but I am having big fun!