Learn how to make lovely little origami lucky stars, sometimes called wishing stars. Use them as party decorations, add color to a room, add them to gift wrap, or use them to add a little luck to your life. Make one or dozens of cute little stars with this step-by-step tutorial.

These origami lucky stars are made with strips of paper cut about 10-inches to 11-inches long. Each strip can be as wide as 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, or 3/4 inch. Thinner strips make smaller stars while fatter strips make larger stars.

Spend as much time as is needed to make the knot and wrap the pentagon of your star as neat and tight as possible. Making it neat ensures your little origami lucky stars will turn out puffy, but sturdy, as well if you want to hold them while making a wish.

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

• Paper cutter or scissors
• Ruler

Materials

• Printer paper, A4 paper, letter paper, patterned paper, or origami paper

Instructions

1. Start Folding the Strip of Paper
   1. Start with your strip of paper color side up if you’re using colored paper or origami paper.
   2. Bring the right end of the paper over and down.
   3. Bring the bottom end up and over the left end.
   4. Now that you have a loop, feed the top end behind and through the hole.
   5. Continue to pull the end through the loop, also gently pull the bottom end to tighten the knot.
2. Make the Knot of the Star
   1. Keep wiggling and pulling the knot tighter, flattening it at the same time.
   2. The end of the paper strip on the left should be much longer than the end on the right. Fold the excess end behind. You do not need to cut it off but you can do if it’s too long.
   3. Fold the end on the left behind, keeping the bottom edge aligned with the bottom edge of the shape in the center.
   4. Continue wrapping the pentagon. Fold the strip on top, over to the top left.
3. Keep Wrapping the Pentagon
   1. Again wrapping the pentagon, fold the strip down behind to the bottom.
   2. Fold the strip up and over to the right.
   3. Fold the strip over behind to the left and continue until you only have a small section left.
   4. If your strip is just a bit too long, cut it or tear it off.
4. Finish Tucks and Inflate the Star
   1. Insert the end of the strip inside the pocket.
   2. Now inflate the star. Use your index finger and thumb to pinch in one of the points of the star.
   3. Rotate the star and gently do the same on all of the points.
   4. You can get different results by pinching more or less at this stage.Your first attempt at making an origami star may not come out as well as expected, but keep practicing to create the points. If you’d like to try another shape, learn how to make a puffy origami heart.