Tiny Origami Paper Star

Whether you want a tiny star to show off to your friends, a bigger one to use in decor, a productive project for a rainy afternoon, or just want to have fun making a paper star, this is a great project to do.

For this project, it is best to use thin paper that folds easily. If you are making a small star, it is beneficial to reinforce the paper strips with tape before cutting to prevent them ripping when folded and pulled through. Tweezers are also very helpful when making precise folds or pulling strips through.

Materials:

Thin paper in two or four colors

Clear cellophane tape

Ruler and scissors/paper cutter

Tweezers

After reinforcing with tape, cut the paper into long, thin strips. Mine were 1/8" wide and about 6.5" long. It is very important to ensure the strips are plenty long. A good width measurement is 1/4" or 1/2".

Fold the strips in half and arrange them in a square so that each strip's folded end is around another strip and the other end goes through the next strip's folded end. When arranged like the first picture, pull all four ends to make a tight square in the middle.

Fold the top strip of each side one at a time over the middle square to make another square on top of the original one. The last strip needs to be tucked under the first strip that was folded over. Gently pull it snug.

Fold one of the strips on the right under so it is perpendicular to the strips of the same color and parallel to the strips of the other color.

Fold the same strip over so it is again parallel to the other strips of the same color. This should make a perfect triangle.

Fold the perfect triangle in half across its line of symmetry. Tuck the tail of the strip under the section of the square of the other color right in front of it and gently pull it snug.

Repeat steps 4-6 with the three other strips on the right side around the square. The result should look like the picture.

Flip the project over and repeat steps 4-6 with the four strips on the top. The result should look like the picture.

Fold each strip over the center of the square. For the last one to fold, the first will have to be lifted up for it to go under.

Fold one strip over and to the left so its perpendicular with the other strips of its color.

Fold the same strip over the center on top of the other colored strip next to it.

Slide the same strip under the opposite color strip in the square with the bottom of that strip facing up. Gently pull strip until it looks like a little pyramid. It may take a couple of tries to get it right.

Repeat steps 10-12 with the other three strips on that side. The result should look like the picture.

Flip the project over and repeat steps 9-13 on the other side. The result should look like the picture.

Carefully trim all eight strips from the outside edge of the triangles, being sure they are pulled snug enough that the little pyramids are a uniform shape.