DIY Fun Folded Origami Lucky Stars

I'm seeing stars!! Folded origami lucky stars!

Fun Folded Origami Lucky Stars was “the thing” for a while at our house. Our girls folded little strips of origami lucky star paper into these fascinating stars and then gave them to their friends in little jars as gifts.

Meaning for the 100 stars

The story, as I understand it, is that there is a meaning behind the number of stars that you give. If you give someone 100 folded origami lucky stars then the recipient can make a wish.

It made for some very cute birthday gifts.

But better yet, it kept young hands busy while we visited and laughed together. Ah, that is my favorite part of all of these crafts and activities. The connection!!

Video step by step for Fun Folded Origami Lucky Stars

The awesome video shows how you can make fun folded origami lucky stars yourself.

Step by step written directions for Fun Folded Origami Lucky Stars

Here are the step by step written directions for those that desire them to clarify certain steps of the process.

Paper size and type

The small paper stars in this video are made from ½ inch strips of paper cut from 12x12 inch scrapbooking paper. You can use whatever paper you would like, but it is best to use lightweight paper and not cardstock.

The larger paper strips in the video are made from 2 inch paper strips cut from wrapping paper. I really appreciate the wrapping paper at Hobby Lobby. It has one inch grid markings on the back of the paper, making it very easy to cut into strips.

Tip: You can make the paper strips smaller, i.e. ¼ inch wide or width in between if you want. The larger the star you make, the longer the paper needs to be as well.

Tip: You can purchase the Origami Lucky Star paper strips already cut. That makes this easy craft that much easier! I cut my scrapbook paper on a paper cutter and did a couple sheets of paper at a time. It went very quickly.

Write a message on your origami lucky star paper strips

If you would like, write a message on the strip of paper before folding it. That makes each folded origami lucky star an extra gift. The recipient can unfold the stars, one by one, and read your messages. Just be sure to not use a pen that soaks through the paper!

Tie a knot in the paper

Tie a single knot in one end of your paper strip so that the print is showing on the knot. There will be a little end showing. Tuck this end behind the knot.

Tip: Important! Don’t hard fold this little knot. It will be in a pentagon, five sided knot shape. It will not open easily into a star if you fold it hard and flat.

Wrap the paper around the knot...

Wrap the long strip of paper around the pentagon knot, around and around so that the print side of the paper is to the outside and showing. Pull the strip firmly but do not hard fold. If the pentagon sides were numbered from 1 to 5 from the front, the paper would wind around side 1 and 4, then 2 and 5, then 3 and 1, then 4 and 2, then 5 and 3. Then this pattern would repeat if your paper was that long (mine was not).

Tuck the end of the strip inside the last loop of paper when it is too short to make another loop around the star.

Press in the sides of the pentagon-

Finally, hold the pentagon shape with four finger tips on four sides of the shape. Press gently with your thumbnail into the fifth side of the pentagon. It will gently cave inwards.

Repeat this motion on each of the other 4 sides of the pentagon.

Go back around the star and gently press and shape the star to be in a symmetric shape.

Repeat 99 more times!!! Ha!

Fill a jar with 100 folded origami lucky stars

Fill a little jar with the 100 small folded origami lucky stars. Put a tag on it with the meaning of the stars. Give it as a gift for a birthday or any occasion where the Fun Folded Origami Lucky Stars will certainly bring encouragement and cheer!

Make a garland of stars!

The larger origami lucky stars may be taped on strings and hung as a garland. They work wonderfully as a party decoration or in your home for fun. Wouldn't it look cute for Christmas made from metallic wrapping paper?