Have you ever started a piece of origami you just weren't ready for? Over the past few days, I've been working on a complex piece of modular origami using one of Tomoko Fuse's designs from her renowned book, "The Complete Book of Origami Polyhedra." The journey, though challenging, has been a fascinating peek into the precision and creativity required for origami.

Initially, I ambitiously tackled the 36 rose unit stellated cube, a sophisticated polyhedra consisting of thirty-six interlocking pieces (pictured below) that create a stunning 24 peak stellated cube. Early this morning, still groggy and without my coffee, I struggled with the initial assembly steps provided in the book. The diagram only covered the basics and then left the rest to the assembler, which I found quite frustrating. It became clear that I had skipped ahead too quickly without mastering the foundational skills needed to interpret these complex diagrams.

Realizing my oversight, I decided to scale back and try the simpler 12-unit version of the design. This model features just six elements, each with four peaks (base peaks), making it easier to visualize and assemble. As I put together the first few pieces, I discovered an important detail I had overlooked: each peak connects not only to its base but also to an adjacent peak, forming a continuous link across the model. These links (pictured below) in turn would create more peaks. This insight was a breakthrough, and from there, I managed to assemble the remaining pieces, focusing on how each segment fits within the overall structure, much like visualizing an invisible cube that guides the assembly.

The final result was quite impressive for a first attempt, and I managed to capture a few snippets to create my very first Instagram reel, which I'll share more about in an upcoming post.

I look forward to refining my skills over the next few weeks and sharing more of my origami adventures. Whether you're an origami enthusiast or a curious newcomer, join me as I fold my way through the complexities of paper art.