How to Make Origami Lucky Stars

Every lucky star comes from one long, thin strip. Easy Origami and Crafts uses a strip roughly 0.6 inches wide and 12 inches long, which is a good ratio to start with. Pre-cut lucky star paper comes in fun colors, but a strip sliced off a sheet of printer paper works just as well while you learn.

Hold the strip taut between both hands and give it a look. You want it flat and even, with no curl or bend along its length. A clean, straight strip folds into a rounder, tidier star.

Near one end of the strip, make a loop and leave a short tail poking out past it. Pass that short tail through the loop, the same way you start tying a simple knot in string or a shoelace.

Ease the knot closed slowly rather than yanking it tight. Paper wants to fold along clean lines, and pulling too hard too fast can crush it into a random crease. A slow, gentle pull lets the strip find its own neat shape as the knot forms.

Now pull both ends of the strip and watch what happens. As the knot draws in, the paper folds itself into a small, flat, five-sided pentagon. Stop pulling once the shape looks even, then press it flat with your thumbnail so the five edges are sharp.

This little pentagon is the heart of the whole star, so it pays to get it clean. Take a second to check that all five sides look about the same length. A lopsided pentagon here turns into a lopsided star later.

Hold the pentagon steady in one hand and pick up the long tail with the other. Wrap that tail around the pentagon, following its five sides so each new wrap lies flat over the one underneath. At each corner the paper folds naturally, keeping the pentagon shape as you go.

Keep wrapping around and around. The pentagon gets a little thicker with every pass, and the tail gets shorter. Stop when there is just a short stub of paper left, too short to wrap another full lap.

You now have a small, chunky pentagon with a stub of paper sticking out of one edge. Look right beside that stub and you will find an open slot, a little pocket between the wrapped layers.

Slide the leftover stub down into that pocket until it vanishes from view. This tucks the loose end away and locks all your wrapping in place. Once it is tucked, the pentagon holds its shape on its own and will not spring loose in your hand.

Here comes the fun part where the flat pentagon turns into a plump star. Pinch each of the five edges between your thumbnail and finger, pressing gently inward toward the center. A toothpick or the tip of your nail helps push each side in and dent it up.

Work your way around all five sides. As you pinch each one, the pentagon rounds out and the points rise up, until the flat shape pops into a puffy three-dimensional lucky star. Drop it in a jar and start the next one.