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Monday, May 3, 2010

You Can Make This: Paper Star Tutorial

paper stars
I found an old stash of "star paper" a friend gave me....oh, a long time ago.  Ummmm....like, we were in, like 7th grade, you know?

Wow.

Anywho, on the off chance that someone out there didn't go through middle school making a bajillion of these out of the tear-off edges of the printer paper from the staff lounge, here's a tutorial!

You'll need a strip of paper- it needs to be perfectly straight on the sides.  Length isn't too critical- 8 to 12 inches is fine, but should be about a centimeter across.  The thicker it is, the longer your piece of paper will need to be.  (I wonder what this would look like made out of butcher paper?  Would it be stiff enough?  Moving on....)

On one end of the piece of paper, tie an overhand knot and careful scootch the knot together so that the paper just fits in the holes.
Like so.
paper stars

To take care of the short tail, either cut it, tear it, or fold it back.  I like to fold it back.
So.
paper stars

Now take the long tail and start wrapping it firmly around the pentagon you've made, from one side to another, straight across.  Make sure the paper covers the edge it comes from, so your shape stays true.
So.
paper stars

Keep wrapping and wrapping until you run out of paper.
paper stars

Tuck the end of your strip underneath the last complete pass of the paper.  If part stick out the other side, tear or cut it off.
paper stars

Now grab one corner and pinch to a point.
paper stars

Hold onto the point you just made with one hand, and with the other pinch the opposite side into a point.  Continue around, holding on with both hands to keep it symmetrical.

Yay!
paper stars

9 comments:

LunaMoonbeam said...

very nice!

Lo Gung's cousin taught me another one over Christmas...it makes a different kind of star, all spiky all over. Of course, I can't remember how to make it...maybe I'll look up directions later. It uses the same kind of paper...or that shiny 1/2" package ribbon.

Ticia said...

how do your fingers make something that small?

Teresa said...

cute....=)

Aminat said...

Very cute...thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

Um, you lost me at "tie an overhand knot", lol. The rest I think I can handle.

Su said...

One day, while gabbing, my friend and I made a whole jar of these. It's quite meditative. Although, we had no idea what to do with them after that. :)

Unknown said...

These stars are great. When I was in high school, we strung the stars into leis for graduations gifts.

Franzine Kafka said...

7th grade - this looks familiar. i have an idea of who might have given you that paper.

Make handmade said...

Great tutorial! i love it very much. thanks for sharing.