If you are looking for a Paper Craft with the wow factor then you have come to the right place: Triskele Paper Globes are in my absolute Top 5 list of Paper Craft Projects! And *wink soon to be in yours, too!

So what are Triskele Paper Globes?

Plain and simple: they are stunning and look fabulous. With its beautiful shape and elegant design, Triskele Paper Globes appear to be really tricky to make. But let me tell you: they are not!

This paper-folding design consists of three strips of paper that when interlocked turn into a 3D paper ball shape. Of course, I will show you how to make them! Here is a little introductory video for you to enjoy…

(This video is a little introduction, only. I have created many video tutorials that show you in normal speed and step by step how to make them. You can find these with the individual Triskele Paper Globe Bundles.)

I first came across this design when I stumbled upon Mariët’s blog post in which she decorates such paper ball with Zentangle patterns. I was intrigued by the 3D paper ball shape and knew I had to give it a try. I fell in love and started decorating the first few and knew many of you would love to color and craft these just as much as me. Today, you can choose from many Triskele Paper Globe Bundles. Find your favorite bundle(s) further below.

The naming of Triskele Paper Globes?

I started searching the internet for more information and in particular looked for a name for these beauties but came up with nada (nothing). I was surprised. I felt though such gorgeous shape and elegant design deserved a better name than just ‘Paper Ball, Ornament or Bauble’.  So I shared my find with the Hattifant Facebook community and asked them for help. There was much excitement. And TRISKELE PAPER GLOBES sounded perfect to many!

Throughout the years I also discovered them under the name of ‘Click Balls or Ornaments’ and ‘Plop Plop Balls’.

But ‘Triskele’ means what exactly?!

A triskele describes a triple spiral motif: three symmetrical swirls emanate from a single point. The name itself comes from the Greek words ‘tri’ and ‘skelos’ meaning ‘three legs’.

The designs’ origin dates back far into history and has been found across the globe with the oldest in Malta (4400-3600 BC) but also carved in stones for example at New Grange, Ireland, ancient Greece, Italy, Korea, and Japan. In fact, it is believed to be among the oldest spiritual symbols created by humans altogether.

‘3’ being a sacred number in Celtic belief, it doesn’t surprise that the ‘triskele’ has been and still is of high importance in Celtic culture. The symbol has a variety of meanings: past, present and future; life, death and rebirth; earth, water and sky; creation, protection and destruction to name a few.

If you would like to learn more about ‘triskeles’ then I found this article most interesting.

For Math enthusiasts:

For those interested in exploring ‘Triskeles’ mathematically, I encourage you to read what ‘Loop Space’ has to say about ‘Triskele Curves’. I would like to thank Paula Beardell Krieg for having initialized this direction of conversation.

I hope you enjoyed finding out more about Triskele Paper Globes.

• Read on to learn how to make your own in a Video Tutorial I created for you.
• Further below you will find a list of all currently available Triskele Paper Globe Bundles.
• Follow the individual links to learn more about your favorite Triskele Paper Globe Bundle.