Traditional Straw Stars are ornaments made in Germany, Scandinavia and some Eastern European countries. They are made out of natural straw with thread woven between the straw that helps hold it together. Although there are several different legends told about the origin of the stars, in general the stars are said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem and the straw in the manger. Today, there are many different designs, and they can be used for year round decorations or for other celebrations like Autumn Harvests. The straws can be tricky for small hands, so we have created an alternative that is easier for children to work with. Our straw star tutorial uses wooden coffee stirrers and yarn to create the feel of natural straw star ornaments!
Straw Star Tutorial Materials
Straw Star Tutorial Directions
Make a copy of the template. Place it on a level surface.
Select 4 straight wooden stirrers. These can be purchased or keep and recycle your coffee stirrers. Place the first one on the template over the outline of stick 1. Use a piece of painter’s tape to hold the stick to the template. This will prevent the entire star from shifting. Place a dot of glue in the center of the stick.
Place your second stick over the first, following the outline guide for stick 2. Place a dot of glue in the center.
Follow the same procedure for sticks 3 and 4. Do not put a dot of glue on the 4th stick. Allow to dry. Depending on how much glue you used and how humid the day is, this can take 2 – 3 hours.
When the glue is dry, cut a piece of yarn 24 inches long.
Find the center of the yarn and place it under the section of stick 1 that is directly below the center of the star, the hub.
Place the right piece of yarn over stick 4 and the left piece of yarn over stick 2, both below the hub.
Place the right piece of yarn under stick 3 and the left piece of yarn under stick 3, near the hub.
Finally, place both ends of the yarn behind the first stick. Gently pull on both sides of the yarn so the woven yarn is up against the hub.
Turn the star over.
Tie the two ends of the yarn together on the back side of the star close to the hub.
Hold the two pieces of yarn together and lift so the star hands down. Decide how long you wish to make a hanging loop and knot the two pieces of yarn together at this point to make the loop.
Cut off extra yarn above the knot, leaving 1/2 inch tails.
Your straw star is now ready to hang on a window, door or tree.
Variations. Although traditional straw stars are natural, these can be painted or embellish with glitter or sequence.
