Window Star

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 2

Please note that the star in this photo is slightly different than the one you’ll be making. Can you see the difference?

Hooray! It is time to make our first 25 Days of Paper project, the Window Star. Find the 6″ x 6″ piece of colorful kite paper in your paper pack – it’s a colored waxed paper that is used traditionally in the Netherlands for making kites. I ordered this paper from Imagination Childhood. It comes in packs of 100 sheets featuring ten assorted colors, and you can also order larger sheets.

For this project you will need: 

One sheet of 6″ x 6″ kite paper
Glue stick
Optional: Cutting mat, straight edge & craft knife
Optional: Bone folder

Step 1: Prepare Paper: Cut the square of kite paper into eight rectangular pieces measuring approximately 3″ x 1-1/2″ (the kite paper is a bit larger than 6″; basically you cut it in half and then cut the two halves into quarters). I like to use a knife for cutting, but you can simply fold the paper and cut along the fold lines with scissors if you prefer.

Step 2:  Fold and Glue: Do the following to all eight pieces of paper: First (as pictured above) fold the sheet in half lengthwise. Unfold, and then fold all four corners into the center line, creasing the folds with a fingernail or bone folder. Fold the top two corners in once more. If desired, use a glue stick to tack down all of the folded pieces so that each unit lies flat.

Step 3: Assemble: Take two sections and place one of the wider points on top of the other. With the point tips touching, align the edge of the top section with the center line of the bottom section, as shown. Now apply a dab of glue to attach the two sections.

Step Four: Finishing: Continue joining section by section in the same manner. When you get to the last section, attach it to the one before it just like you did the others. Then, tuck that last section underneath the very first section that you started with. If you look carefully at the image above, you can see how the middle section is being slipped between the sections to the left and right. Glue the final section in place. 

That’s it! Attach the star to a window with a small piece of transparent tape. This is my star in the window at sunset. And in case you were wondering, kite paper does fade over time. This star has been hanging in my very sunny Colorado window for over a year. I like the transformation.

This project originally appeared in my book Playing With Paper. If you enjoyed this project, you might be interested in this Window Star Kit. There are numerous variations on how to fold and assemble these stars. Do a search for window stars to see the array of possibilities. There are even entire books dedicated to window star patterns. Try using regular kitchen waxed paper or other papers – and let me know what you discover. 

So, how did I do with the instructions? Please leave a comment if you have a question, and I hope that you will share a picture of your star with us over on the 25 Days of Paper FB group. 

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! Receive updates via e-mail by adding your address in the upper right hand corner of this page. Enjoy the season, and feel free to leave a comment below and check out what people are making in the 25 Days of Paper FB Group!