Make a mesmerizing fringe star—a holiday favorite from just a few supplies
A fringe star is easy to make from tissue paper. Once you separate the scissor-fringed sheets, the result is wonderfully full and textured. The instructions are set up so that the smallest stars can be created using scraps from the larger ones.
Size: diameter about 39 cm (15.5”).
Fringe star—supplies:
- tissue paper sheets (70 cm [27.5”) × 50 cm [20”])
- scissors
- (double-sided) tape
- (a bow or another small decoration)
- thread or string for hanging.
Fringe star—instructions:
1. Take three tissue paper sheets, but do not separate them. To speed up your work, fold and cut the sheets all at once. Cut a full sheet in half at the fold. In this tutorial’s star, the half sheet of tissue paper measured about 50 cm × 35 cm (20” × 14”).
2. Fold the paper diagonally in half so you end up with a triangular piece. Trim off the leftover strip. You’ll need it later, so set it aside.
3. Fold the triangle in half along the dotted line.
4. Repeat this fold one more time.
5. Fold the triangle’s short side so it lines up with the long side.
6. Round off the end with scissors. If you want an even rounder shape, cut the end at a gentler angle.
7. Cut fringes along the rounded edge.
8. Carefully unfold the star so the tissue layers don’t tear.
9. Separate the three layers. Apply a small piece of tape in the middle of the bottom two sheets and reattach them. Pulling the layers apart creates a richer, livelier look. You can also leave them all together if you prefer.
10. Make another one just the same.
11. Make a smaller star. For the second-largest one, you’ll again need a half sheet of tissue paper. Fold one corner toward the center so the triangle’s shorter sides each measure about 25 cm (10”). This way, you’ll get two equal pieces from the same sheet. Cut off that piece, then fold, fringe, and tape the layers just like you did for the larger stars. Make a second star of the same size.
12. Now take the leftover strip from the larger star and use it to create two stars of the same size.
13. Make the smallest star from those scraps, the same way as the larger ones. You only need one of this size.
14. Assemble the star by taping the two largest pieces together at the center, allowing them to overlap slightly.
15. Continue the same way until the smallest star is also in place.
16. Shape each layer by gently scrunching it toward the center for more fullness.
17. If you wish, attach a bow or a small decoration to the center of the star.
18. Decide which part of the star will be at the top. Tape the layers together at that spot so the decoration stays nicely in shape when hung.
19. Tape a piece of string to the back of the decoration for hanging. Then display your finished fringe star in a window, on a wall, or on a door!
Tip!
If you’d like a version that looks more like a traditional star, cut the triangle ends at a sharper angle. The steeper the angle, the more pointed the tips become.
