A new style that I've been tinkering with occasionally is one that combines elements of both linear and rotational patterns. This easy tessellation is my most recent design using that technique.  As you can see there's a diagonal pattern of overlapping trapezoid twists. But there's also a hexagonal pattern that's a little harder to detect.  Twisting around the larger hexagons are both the trapezoids you can see on the front and also rhombuses which appear on the back.  On the back side of the tessellation the rhombuses also appear in a vertical/diagonal spread.  The twist pattern around the hexagons is: trapezoid:trapezoid:rhombus:trapezoid:trapezoid:rhombus. It is much more obvious in the crease pattern included below. 

 This is a new advanced tessellation that I created last week and folded this week. It's kind of a diabolical pattern in that it contains six series of seven interconnected triangle collapses. If you've ever attempted to do any larger number of triangle collapses you'll know how difficult it can be.  The other portion of the tessellation is pretty standard. A flagstone style set of an open hexagon surrounded by six trapezoid.  The magic happens when I add a rhombus before repeating the center. That's what creates the gaps where all the triangles can reside.  I chose a pattern of the center triangle facing forward with the rest facing backward. This is personal preference. They can be arranged any way you like.  I also altered the pattern near the edges just to create cleaner lines. Replacing some partial trapezoids with rhombuses.  If you wish to fold this origami tessellation , definitely use a strong paper and plan your ups and downs ahead of time. It w...

This is a just a random idea that I had while fiddling around with a small piece of 'gridded' paper. Sometimes, looking for inspiration, I'll fold a small 16 pleat grid on a little square and just screw around with it to see if it takes me anywhere worthwhile. The tessellation that I came up with was an alternating ring of small hexagons and teardrops around a large hexagon. In order to have 12 shapes around the hexagon, instead of the usual 6, it was layered using natural micro trapezoids.  All this information will make a lot more sense upon viewing the crease pattern below.  The back view is rather unremarkable.  What's notable about this particular  origami tessellation , is the fact that I didn't actually fold it as a tessellation. The pattern can absolutely be tessellated. I even went so far as to map it that way on the paper prior to folding.  However, as I was beginning the first of the six repetitions, I realized that the paper I'd chosen combined wit...

This is an origami tessellation idea that I had a while back. Because it seemed so simple, I didn't rush to fold it. It languished for a while waiting for me to become interested.  On a day when I didn't have that much time, I decided to try it.  It's a very simple concept of large hexagons with natural triangles. I add small hexagons at the points of the triangles in order to repeat the pattern.  Some open triangle twists finish off the remaining space.  The diagram included below doesn't really fully illustrate the further finishing touches that I added to it.  Once I had the whole tessellation flattened I did small triangle twists with the corners of the large hexagons. This created kind of pseudo open back hexagons in their place. This led me to then fold their edges inwards, creating the final design.  It's hard to tell from my 32 pleat rendition, but the design is fully repeatable.  Even though it's a very simple concept, it wasn't easy at all ...

 Here's a new tessellation that I folded recently. It's similar in concept to my ' 'Lilacs and Lavender' tessellation '. It combines flagstone techniques with tucks, collapses and twists for a unique layered effect. In this particular tessellation, the central point is an open hexagon connected to six rhombuses. From there I tuck trapezoids into the edges of the rhombuses.  In order to continue the tessellation, I then add more open hexagons tucked into the edges of the trapezoids and into the points of the rhombuses.  It's then that the center point can be repeated. The full pattern can continue in that way ad infinitum.   Finding these patterns that can become origami tessellations is to me, the most fascinating part of the whole process. They're like little puzzles that you didn't know were there until you found them.  It's a somewhat difficult tessellation to fold. Nothing all that crazy, but it does take some patience.  If you wish to fold...

I wanted to do a tessellation with a very specific pattern I had in my head. That pattern is rhombus > trapezoid > trapezoid > rhombus.  Which is a very easy pattern to repeat horizontally. Repeating the pattern vertically however, proved somewhat trickier.  It took a  little while, but eventually, I figured a pattern that worked. The unusual thing is that it's both a circular and a linear pattern simultaneously. See the crease pattern below for further clarification.  The circular pattern is asymmetrical. With triangles, rhombuses and trapezoids all rotating around large hexagons.  The linear pattern is symmetrical. Repeating the set of rhombuses and trapezoids evenly and consistently. It's a twist based tessellation that was much easier to fold that it was to conceive.  

 This twist based tessellation is an idea that I had a while back. The first time that I folded it, I spaced things too close together and didn't really like the outcome. So, this time around I went with broader gaps between the shapes.  The shapes are linear rows of rhombuses. Pretty simple stuff. But an interesting thing you can do with this design. Theoretically you could do this with any design that features 90 degree corners.  Anyway, instead of folding flat corners, what you can do, is fold triangle twists at the corners. They twist in opposite directions and that  creates a 3dish sort of curved fold connecting them. My paper was kinda soft for it to really work, but you get the gist.  The back of the tessellation comes out as a series of many parallelograms. Crease pattern included.   

Found another interesting trapezoid based origami flagstone configuration. It's design is kind of a natural progression from the pattern in my ' Walk in the Park' tessellation .Same starting point, different follow through. It shows how incredibly versatile trapezoids are in tessellations.  'Walk in the Park' used rhombuses to create its alternating flow of trapezoids around hexagons. In Rolling Stones here, It's all trapezoids flipping, churning and spinning around the hexagons. I think I like this pattern a little more.  Back side is typical for a flagstone tessellation . Many, many triangles. Crease pattern below.

 This is one of my more bizarre original tessellation ideas . When I'm not busy being obsessed with flagstones or elaborate collapse patterns, I occasionally devote a little time to unusual twist folds. This is one of those tessellations.  The design is actually pretty simple, but the result that it yields is pretty out of the ordinary. That's because of the close proximity of the various folds to each other. It creates weird overlapping shapes  and it also makes it harder to fold even though the actual shapes are pretty standard. The center is a large hexagon. A shape I rarely use. Then some natural trapezoids are tucked into it. Pretty normal so far. But then I add some 'tented' triangles. The two edges go in one direction and then the line that bisects them goes in the other. You can see it pretty well in the crease pattern that is below.  If you want to fold this origami tessellation , I recommend a grid larger than 32 pleats, so that you can get full repetitions...

 This flagstone tessellation is a variant of my Skyscrapers tess, It uses the same center, but then repeats it using a different method. The pattern is open hexagons with two upright rhombuses per side and then trapezoids at top and bottom. The module naturally repeats horizontally without any additional shapes. This time around, I used long rows of rhombuses in order to repeat it vertically. Since this tessellation is from back in the beginning of May I was sure that the crease pattern was lost, but it turns out I still have it. Included below.

 This origami tessellation is just a fun little idea that I had about a month ago. It's pretty basic, but I think it's a cute pattern. Something to do when you don't have a lot of time or aren't feeling up to doing the more complex stuff. The idea was to have small pyramids made up of micro grid triangles. That's all there is to it! To fold it I did a classic small hex twist on the back. Then I folded a series of 6 three pleat long arms all around it. These created the tiny triangles on the front.  That's it. Super easy to do. I used tant paper, but I think this particular origami design would've looked way cooler with thinner paper that could be backlit. I don't think that I drew a crease pattern before folding this. But I've unfolded it to create one. 

This original origami tessellation I just did last Saturday..I had the diagram for it for a few weeks and finally decided it was time. When I examined the diagram more carefully, I realized that what I'd drawn didn't actually work as a flat fold. I tinkered with it a little more and finally arrived at the finished idea.  This was a beast of a tessellation to fold. I mean, it was just super, super hard. It fought me every step of the way.  What makes it such an advanced tessellation is that it uses multiple flagstone elements, but it also layers them all on top of each other. The original inspiration for it started out innocent enough. Just three trapezoids twisting around an open triangle. I completed the rotation by attaching another trapezoid and then repeating the triangle set again until it came full 360.  What I was left with in the center was a rather large gap to fill in. Many small triangles and an open back hexagon did the trick.  Because folding it was so...

 This is a tessellation from back in mid May. It's kind of a weird one. It starts with a collapsed hexagon and then there are teardrop shapes tucked into it. In order to repeat the pattern, I simply added some long 'arms'. The edges of the 'arms' are half hexagons. The remaining spaces were filled in with six sided 'pyramids'. It's a fairly simple tessellation , but actually folding it is a little tricky. Only because there are a lot of small, fiddly shapes to work. I'm sure I had a diagram at one point, but where it is now is anyone's guess. I did, however, unfold it to crease a new one.

 This is a flagstone tessellation that utilizes alternating trapezoids and triangles spinning around a small hexagon on the other side. What this particular starting point creates is the opportunity to a rotation of six pyramid like shapes. Those shapes are made up of four triangles and three trapezoids. I used these same shapes to create another flagstone called Crowded Temples . I like the fluidity of this new tessellation a little more.  You can see the reverse side is mostly triangles with a few small hexagons. Even though it looks like it should be very hard, I find that tant paper very readily submits to flagstone folding. It's still difficult, but not as difficult as it appears. Crease pattern included.

 This origami tessellation is based off a pretty simple idea that I had. But since its design allows for so many shapes in a relatively small amount of space, it winds up looking very impressive. The premise is six rhombuses tucked into each circling around an open back hexagon. Then I add a small triangle tucked into the outer edge of every other rhombus. I use that triangle to repeat more rhombuses and to repeat the center point.  The edges of the three other center rhombuses have large triangles tucked into them.  I may have a crease pattern. Need to find it. Filed under: June 2026 Origami Tessellations