Friday 29 July 2016

Zhen Xian Bao Chinese Thread Box


These beautiful little paper boxes hail from the remote south west of
 China and are used by the Miao women to store threads.  They are 
usually decorated by hand and have an indigo dyed cover.

Here is my first attempt in paper, the next one will be in fabric!


Outside cover




The first layer of boxes which twist to open and close.


The first and second layer, each side mirrors each other.  Lifting up the diamonds
opens up the second layer of boxes. 


 Second and third layer together, again, lifting up the second layer
opens up the third box underneath.


Fourth layer of boxes


Fifth layer of boxes

And finally, the big box at the bottom is revealed.

This looks incredibly complicated.  The hardest part was the twist opening
 box that you see first.  The rest of the boxes are very simple to fold.
I followed the instructions in Ruth Smiths
Folded Secrets Books.
The instructions were clear, concise and it was
great fun to make.


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