Responsibility Disclaimer: I take no responsibility, direct or implied for any
damage that you do to you, your possessions, any physical structures and or
items, and or anyone else. This set of instructions includes working with
scissors and hot wax, and or heat or fire. It is your responsibility to use all of
these items safely. ​
Make these for your Christmas Tree.
They look great when your tree is covered in them.
The strips illustrated below are 17 inches by 1/2 inch. (You can use 17 inches by 3/4 inches but only if you fold them as shown in B below. Additional information on lengths and star sizes is given after these instructions below.
Paper Stars
A: Take 4 strips together and trim each end.
(The lengths of the cuts should be about twice the width of the strips.)
​​​​​​​B: With the 4 strips together, fold one end up to the other end, about one strip width from the end.
C: Make a basket weave, using the 4 strips with the long ends on top. (Place the first along the bottom horizontally with the fold on the right. Place the second one vertically with the fold at the bottom, placing both ends of the first between the ends of the second strip. Place the third one horizontally with the fold on the left, placing both ends of the second between the ends of the third strip. Place the fourth one vertically with the fold on the top, placing both ends of the third between the ends of the fourth strip and placing both ends op the fourth strip between the ends of the first.)
D: Pull ends to form a close basket weave.
A second basket weave is needed over this first one. Each of the long strips on top will be used to form the second weave.
E: Pull one top strip down. Press. Take one strip on left and fold over to right. Press (shown folded over in F). Take one strip below right and fold up. Press (shown folded up in F).
F: Take one strip, upper right, fold to left but weave under upper strip, forming your second basket weave. Press.
G: Second weave finished.
​​(H, I, J, K, and L (pressing the strip in L up) will be followed for each of 4 strips on one side of the square basket weave, M, and for each of the remaining 4 strips on the other side, shown finally in N.)
​
To begin step H, pick up the strips and hold in one hand. The rest of the steps will be done holding the star.
H: Fold top right strip to back and to the right and press.
I: Fold same strip down and press.
J: Fold same strip right part over left part forming triangle at top and press.
K: Take the bottom of strip shown in J between 1st finger and thumb with thumb on top. The top of the strip remains facing up from J through L.
L: Push the top triangle back slightly (with middle finger or thumb of other hand) as shown in K as you slide strip under top right section of basket weave. Pull down as shown in L, then fold straight up where the strip leaves the basket weave.
Turn the work one-forth counter-clockwise and on upper right strip, repeat H through L.
Turn again one-forth turn counter-clockwise and on upper right strip, repeat H through L.
​Turn again one-forth turn counter-clockwise and on upper right strip, repeat H through L.
M: This is what it looks like now. Turn over and repeat H through L for the 4 strips on the other side.
N: This is what it looks like now.
​O, P will be repeated for the 4 strips on each side.
O: Take strip, identified in picture N with an arrow on top, and leaving top side up, turn the 'arrow' counter-clockwise three-fourths of a turn and insert into upper left corner of basket weave and under strip sticking up, O.
P: Pull out of triangle, P, enough to make a 3-D point. Pulling too easy will make point loose and pulling to hard will collapse it. Practice, pull just right!
Turn work one-fourth counter-clockwise and repeat N, O, and P (this is shown in Q).
Turn work one-fourth counter-clockwise and repeat N, O, and P.
Turn work one-fourth counter-clockwise and repeat N, O, and P.
Turn over and repeat steps N, O, and P for the four strips on other side.
R: What it looks like now.
S: Trim the 8 strips sticking out of the 8 flat triangles. (You may wish to trim alternating strips on one side that are convenient, then turn over and trim remaining strips.)
Sometimes these stars are dipped in wax,
but you must know how to work safely with wax since the wax can burst into flame when it becomes hot.
