Fru-cool recycled Christmas wreath

   
 
I found a link to a video tutorial recently with really clear instructions on how to make German stars, also known as Froebel Stern.  After a couple of false starts (me getting my right and left mixed up, not the tutorial!), it finally clicked and now I can't stop making them, they're so addictive.  Perfect for a garland or ornaments on the tree and a great way to use up newspaper and old magazines. 

The two dimensional versions are pretty too.

I ended up making a wreath for the inside of my front door using eight stars made from newspaper.  Each star is made up of 4 strips of paper measuring about 2cm x 65cm (50cm for the two dimensional version). To make the wreath I simply joined them togther by inserting two points of one star into the gap between the two points of another star, securing with a dab of a white glue.

With a bit of practice, each star takes about 15 minutes to make - so this is about two hours worth of folding in front of the tv watching Dexter (to which I am also addicted).  Nothing like a bit of calm paper folding whilst watching a serial killer go about his business. 

Comments

[kangaroo]

thank you, thank you, thank you. this will be our wreath this year. how very cute.

[myrtle]

i love this... x
...though i fear i do not have the patience... but i shall direct my sister to your page as she is great at origami and i know would love the challenge of this wreath.

[Lina]

Go for it, and please don't thank me - the lady who made the effort to put out a video tutorial is the one to thank!!!

[Lina]

Thank goodness for video tutorials Ginny. I've realised through my knitting exploits that I'm a very visual person, there is absolutely no way I could have done it without a video. Yay for youtube!

[dottycookie]

Oh my goodness, I need one of those! I have some lovely papers I could fold into those little stars, hmmmmmm.

[Katrina]

VERY nice...and if you want to change it up you can paint it. I'll have to check out that tutorial when I have a break in the knitting and want to work with paper. :)

[Nina - Tabiboo]

Yule cool - these are fab and I love that they look really fiddly though I'm hoping that they are not.

take care,

Nina xxxxx

[Ali]

That is awesome. Love it.

[Heather]

Wow, that is so neat! Love it

[Lina]

Nina, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some swearing involved the first few attempts. However, my almost 7 year old was doing them with me and she could do the 2D versions in the middle picture.

[Lina]

Why thank you fellow magazine reuser!

[Lina]

Just make sure they're long enough if you wanted to do the full 3D version!

[UK lass in US]

I love it - but I'm going to be lucky if I just get some presents made by Christmas this year. Maybe I'll go through a post-Christmas decoration-making phase again, before the 12 days of Christmas are up.

[Lina]

I've decided to keep handmade gifts to a minimum this year. Low stress is what I'm aiming for.

[ldh]

Hi Lina! So nice to visit with you at your lovely place here. I love the wreath and the stars using the newspaper. Last Christmas I made stars from newspaper into a mobile for my grandson who was 10.

Thank you for the link to my tutorial and giveaway. I'll be sure to stop back to see what interesting things you are up to!

kindly, ldh

[darlene]

love the paper folding, i can see how that would be very calming indeed.

[Petit Filoux]

Thank you so much for this, it's absolutely brilliant!! Guess what I'll be doing on Sunday?! x

[lina]

Thanks for dropping by! And, most of all for the tutorial. I'm always impressed with people to go to such lengths to share something that they made!

Lina x

[Teresa]

Very nice - I love the man's eye in the middle of the star...

[Lina]

It took me a while to get what you meant Teresa, but I see it now!!!

[Donna]

Lina! So pretty!

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Ooooooooooh!!!!

[Holly L]

Fantastic. I must try this.

[Heather - Dollar Store Crafts]

Found a link at One Pretty Thing, and WOW amazing!! I would love to share this on Dollar Store Crafts, so look for a link later this week! Sweet!

[Lina]

Go for it Heather, I'm really pleased how it turned out.