To slowly but surely get into the Christmas spirit, I wanted to offer you a new tutorial to teach you how to make adorable Christmas angels out of Japanese paper, with an "accordion" effect!

These smiling-faced beads immediately inspired these little Christmas angels. I used our "Mont Kita" Japanese paper pack as a starting point to imagine the colorful range of this article. I hope you like it!

THE ORIGAMI “ACCORDION” CHRISTMAS ANGEL

To make four origami “accordion” Christmas angels, you will need:

• 4 squares of Japanese paper measuring 15cm by 15cm (for the angels' dresses) and 4 rectangles of Japanese paper measuring 15cm by 7.5cm (for the angels' wings),
• a set of thread and “doll” beads in the color of your choice (each set contains 4 large wooden “face” beads, 4 small wooden beads and metallic gold thread),
• gel glue ,
• and small clothespins to help you assemble the angels.
  
  
  

1. Get some gold wire. Cut a 40cm piece. We'll join the two ends of the wire in the following steps to form the pendant and the angel's head (on the right in the photo).
2. To do this, apply glue to the ends of the wire...
3. ...and smooth it with your fingers.
   
   
   
   
4. The two ends are joined and your loop is made (and very strong). This will help you thread the beads through the wire.
5. Form a sturdy loop by tying 3 knots. Leave a space of about 8cm between the top of your loop and your large knot. Pass the smallest bead through to form the bun...
6. ...then pass the largest bead to add the head to the whole.
   
   
   
   
7. Place glue under the smallest bead...
8. ...to secure the bun and head together.
9. Cut the small piece of thread glued previously to find two separate threads.
   
   We will now move on to folding the Japanese paper to form the wings and the body of the Japanese paper.
   
   
   
   To form the angel's body, take a 15cm x 15cm square and a 15cm x 7.5cm rectangle. The rectangle corresponds to the angel's wings and the square to her dress . We will fold them accordion-style. In the video below, we show you more precisely how we form these accordions.
   
   
   
   Now let's move on to assembling the angel's head, wings and dress.
   
   
   
   
10. Get your different elements: the loop with the angel's head, the accordions corresponding to its wings and its dress as well as two small clothespins which will help you with the assembly.
11. Fold the accordions in half...
12. ...then gather them together between your fingers to hold them in place.
    
    
    
    
13. Place the clothespins on either side of the accordions to help keep them securely in place. Place the angel head wires above and below these accordions.
14. Make a first knot...
15. ...then a second one.
    
    
    
    
16. Cut the length of thread that is sticking out of the dress to hide it inside it.
17. Apply glue to one of the inside panels of the angel's dress...
18. ...then gently press to form the dress.
    
    
    
    
19. Apply glue to the inside edge of the angel's left wing.
20. Apply glue to the inside of the angel's right wing.
21. Press gently to assemble everything to form the wings.
    
    
    
    
22. Place glue on the angel's neck to secure the head to the rest of the body.
23. Position the head correctly, facing you, and press gently.
24. Spread the wings.
    
    
    
    
25. AND THERE YOU ARE, your first angel is finished! Make 3 more angels using the same pattern, following the instructions above again.