3-D Star Ornaments

These can be made from light or medium-weight cardboard but because of the way they need to fit and hold together, a heavier weight is better. Jessie made hers of foam trays from the grocery store. I have used foam board or mat board as well. The foam trays are the easiest to make. The foam board are the sturdiest. They all work. The stars can be made small or large. The size square you start with will determine the size of the completed star.

Materials:

paper to make pattern
mat board, foam board or foam trays
sharp craft knife
ruler
pencil or pen
paint, glitter, double sided adhesive, etc. for decorating

Steps:

1. Draw a square. Draw a straight line across the center of the square dividing it in half horizontally. Draw a second straight line across the center of the square dividing it in half vertically (figure A). The square is now divided into quarters.

2. Draw a horizontal line across the center of the two top squares and another line across the center of the two bottom squares. The original square is now divided into eighths (figure B).

3. Draw two vertical lines dividing the squares in half vertically. You will now have 16 squares (figure C).

4. Make four dots at the intersections as indicated in figure D.

5. Draw a straight line from each corner to the nearest dot to the right and another to the nearest dot to the left. This forms your basic four pointed star pattern ( figure E). Cut it out.

6. Using the star pattern, draw and cut out three foam, foam board or mat board stars. Cut one of the stars in half.

7. On star #1, draw a horizontal line straight across the middle to just beyond the center (figure F).

8. On star #2, draw a line straight across the middle almost to the center. Draw two more lines almost to the middle line (figure G).

9. On the two half stars, draw a line along the middle, halfway to the straight edge (figure H).

10. Cut out along each of the drawn lines, cutting a slot just as wide as the material from which you cut your star. If it is mat board the slit will need to be slightly less than 1/8 inch. For foam board it will need to be about 1/4 inch wide (figure I). Be certain to keep the slit in the exact center of the star piece.

11. When all slits have been cut, fit the stars together. First fit star #1 into #2 then add the two sides to the remaining slits in star #2.

Decorating the stars
You may prefer to leave your stars as they are but if you want to decorate or paint them, you will usually find it easier to take them apart, decorate and then reassemble them.