Finnish star tutorial

This is a great tutorial that can be done in paper as shown on Craft Ideas but I'd also give it a go with fabric and felt. (Yes, I'm still in love with fabric and buttons!)

Enjoy!

 1. Have your stick glue and paper clips ready...

2. Place 3 strips of paper vertically on the table before you. Weave the first horizontal strip over the right strip, under the middle strip and over the left strip. Make sure this strip is in the exact center.

Also, leave about a 3 millimeter gap between the strips. It is important for the appearance that the strip distance is accurate.

Glue this strip in place.

3. Now weave a strip under the first center strip, also leaving a 3 millmeter gap to the strip above it (the center horizonal one). This time, weave the strip under the right vertical strip, then over the middle vertical strip and then under the left vertical strip. Glue it in place.

4. Now for the last strip... place it over the center strip and weave it just like you did the one in step 3. Glue the strip in place.

Let the glue dry a little before continuing.

5. Turn the paper so that it looks like an “x” in front of you. Turn the top right (vertical) strip to the back so that the backside of it is facing you. At the same time, turn the top left (horizontal) strip also towards the vertical strip and glue its front side to the (visible) backside of the vertical strip. See the picture for guidance.

6. You may want or need to use paper clips to hold the strips together while the glue is drying.

Turn the “x” clockwise so that the next two strips are on top and repeat using the same procedure as in step 5. Repeat two more times.

7. Now your star should be looking like this.

8. It is time for the backside. This particular star uses 2 different papers which helps in this tutorial to differentiate between the front side and the back side. You can of course use one color for your star.

9. With the remaining 6 strips repeat steps 1-7 again. You will then have 2 halves that are ready to be put together.

10. Place the 2 halves over each other with the rounded (curved) sides to the inside and each of the loops are positioned over a strip from the other half. Paper clip these in place for the moment to hold the star together.

11. Adjust your paper strips if necessary so that the opposite curves are taut and a little buckling.

12. Make sure that the point of the curve is also centered over the strip.

13. One by one, glue the strips in place and hold together with paper clips.

14. Once the glue is dry, you can remove the paper clips and cut away the excess strip pieces underneath the curved point. Use the curved point as a cutting guide.

15. This is how the finished star looks.

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