Nothing lifts the spirit on a dark winter day like sunlight gently filtering through beautiful, vibrantly-colored paper window stars.
Supplies
To make window stars you will need kite paper and a glue stick. Kite paper can be difficult to find in stores, but it is widely available online. I buy mine at A Toy Garden.
Typically, kite paper comes in a stack of many square sheets, and each square measures just over six inches. Most basic stars are composed of eight squares of kite paper, and can be made as large or as small as you desire. When using eight full sheets, the finished star will be about 17 ½ inches tall and wide; using two full sheets cut into four squares each results in a star about 8 ½ inches tall and wide. The final size will vary and depends on the design you choose to make.
Directions
1. Start by turning the first paper square clockwise, so that it forms a diamond shape.
2. Fold the top point down to the bottom point, forming a triangle.
3. Open the triangle back up and re-position (if necessary) so that the folded line is centered, vertically.
4. Next, fold the left point in toward the vertical fold, as if you’re making a paper airplane, and glue to secure; repeat action on the right side.
5. You should now have something that looks like an asymmetrical diamond or an arrowhead.
6. Repeat the entire process on the rest of the unfolded squares.
7. Now it’s time to assemble the star. Glue the bottom points of two folded pieces together so that the left bottom edge of the second piece lines up perfectly with the center line on the first (see photo). Repeat all the way around until all eight folded pieces are glued together, and now you have a star!
I like to make several stars in different colors and then hang them in the window with clear tape. It is fun to experiment with different and more complex designs, too. For more tutorials, you can search Pinterest, or check out Magical Windows Stars by Frederique Gueret, or Paper Suncatchers by Christine Gross-Loh (includes kite paper and glue stick).
