Thank My Lucky Stars

I have now mastered the art of making Origami Chinese Lucky Stars.

I say mastered the 'Art' with my tongue firmly in my cheek because although I found them pretty tricky at first children can make them with ease.  They are not tricky at all once you know how.

These cute little puffed up stars can be used threaded on to cotton to make pretty garlands or they can be given as symbolic gifts of love, luck, or wishes.  All you need to do to gift them is find a jar and fill it with lucky stars, the jar needs to be full though.  Partially full just does not 'cut the mustard'!  Decorated with a pretty jar cover I think they would be well received.

This is my only cheat, I found it much easier to make them with prepared 'Lucky Star Paper Strips'.  You can buy a wide selection of these on Ebay quite cheaply.  Now I have them as a size template I could use magazines or wrapping paper to make my own paper strips.  I have tried to take step by step photographs, in true 'That will do', 'In The Sky' Style the photographs are soooo amateurish Darling!  There are some great Lucky Star tutorials out there on the internet, if  following this one confuses you!  We all need luck, love and wishes though don't we?

First you create a 'knot' right at the end of your paper strip.  I learned not to crease the folds too much or you have trouble puffing the stars when they are finished.

You should have a little sticky out bit.

Everyone knows little sticky out bits are not desirable, so just neatly tuck it in.

Once you are all neatly tucked in, turn over, not you!  Turn over the 'star' so it looks like this.

You ARE going to make a little flat pentagon.  (I am beginning to realise writing 'Origami Tutorials' are not my cup of tea!)  Fold your strip up and across to align to the left of the pentagon.  If this makes no sense look at the picture, or start searching other tutorials about now!

Turn your 'little pentagon' over and now fold it up and across to align with the right side of the pentagon (remember no sharp creases).

Repeat this to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over malarkey, all the way the to the end of your paper strip.  What you should be left with is a neat little pentagon with another little sticky out bit.

Tuck it in!

Once you are all neatly tucked in, you need to start tweaking, squeezing and pinching the sides (nails help) to make the points of your star.

Ta dah!  You have one cute little puffed up star.

Make him a few hundred friends and you can have a Jar Full or a garland!  These are very quick to make once you have practiced a few.  Honest Guv!   Next week it is 'Half Term Week' and the kids are off school, this might buy you a quiet few moments and I can recommend it as a cheap and cheerful craft for children.  If all else fails it is quite relaxing for grown ups and I entered a 'Meditative' state making my 'billion' stars.  "To the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, tuck your little bit in!  And Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze!"  Next!

Edit:'Folding Trees' has a good tutorial with three different sizes of stars.  It gives you all the measurements for the paper strips.  I am lazy and prefer to buy ready made 'lucky star strips' my own versions did not work well.