How to Make an Origami Star

Origami stars are great gifts to give to friends or loved ones. Mini origami stars, also known as lucky stars, are usually made to fill a glass jar and display. They are also easy and simple to make, ideal for beginners. Larger, four pointed origami stars can be used as decorations on a table or strung up with string as ornaments or a garland. They are a bit more difficult to make and more time consuming. But if you are an intermediate or advanced origami maker, you should be able to fold four pointed stars easily.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Mini Star

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You can use a blank sheet of regular paper or a patterned piece of paper. But make sure it measures 11 inches on one side.^{[1]XResearch source}
2
Cut a half inch wide strip. Use the long end of the piece of paper and fold a half inch wide strip. Rip or cut the strip.
- If you are doing traditional origami, you will fold and rip the paper.
- You want the strip to be a half inch wide and 11 inches long.
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3
Make a knot close to the end of the strip. To do this, bend one end of the strip, close to the top so the strip looks like a ribbon, with two ends and a loop.^{[2]XResearch source}
- The short end should be over the long end.
Don’t scrunch the paper as you pull the knot tight. Keep the paper smooth.^{[3]XResearch source}
You should now have a pentagon shape, with one short end sticking out and one long end sticking out.
6
Valley fold the short end. Valley fold means fold the paper towards you. Tuck the short end into the pentagon so it does not show anymore.
- You should be able to do this without scissors, but if you left your short end a bit too long, snip it shorter with scissors.
- Start over with a new strip of paper if you have to snip off more than a ½ inch on the short side.
Valley fold the long end along the edge of the pentagon. It should fall across the front of the pentagon.
Valley fold the long end along the pentagon again. Use the edge of the pentagon to line up the fold.
The pentagon should get fatter and fatter as you flip and fold.
10
Stop folding once you have an end that is too short to fold. Tuck this short end into the pentagon, just like you did with the first short end.
- You should now have a perfect little paper pentagon.
11
Inflate the star. Hold it lightly with your fingers along two of the edges. Push four of the edges with the tip of your thumbnail. The star should begin to inflate.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Rotate the star and push on the remaining side to completely inflate the star.
- Enjoy your mini origami star!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a Four Pointed Star

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1
Take a 6” x 6” square piece of origami paper. You can also make your own square piece of paper by folding or cutting it.^{[5]XResearch source}^{[6]XResearch source}
- Turn the paper over so the decorative or colored side is down.
2
Take one corner of the paper and fold it to meet the opposite corner. Then, unfold it. Repeat this with the other corner. Then, unfold it.
- You should have an X crease on the paper.
3
Divide the paper into three sections horizontally. Take the bottom of the paper and fold it so it covers ⅓ of the paper. Then, take the top of the paper and fold it so it covers a ⅓ of the paper. Then, unfold the paper.^{[7]XResearch source}
- You should have three horizontal folds on the paper.
4
Divide the paper into three sections vertically. Take the left side of the paper and fold it so it covers ⅓ of the paper. Then, take the right side of the paper and fold it so it covers a ⅓ of the paper. Unfold the paper.^{[8]XResearch source}
- You should now have three vertical folds on the paper.
- It should now look like the paper is divided into a three by three grid.
5
Make four diagonal folds on the paper. Take the bottom left corner of the paper and fold it so it meets the bottom left corner of the top right square on the paper. Then, unfold the corner.
- Take the top right corner of the paper and fold it so it meets the top right corner of the bottom right square on the paper. Then, unfold the corner.
- You should now have four diagonal folds on the paper.^{[9]XResearch source}
Fold it ⅓ to the right. Use the crease you made earlier to make this fold.
7
Make a mountain fold and a valley fold on the section you just folded. In the top left of the folded piece, make the mountain fold by folding the top left corner behind itself.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Unfold the mountain fold. You should have a diagonal fold on the top left corner.
- Make the valley fold by taking the top left corner and folding it over so it covers the first ⅔ of the folded section. Then, unfold it. You should have a triangular shaped fold on the folded section.^{[11]XResearch source}
8
Use the folds to open the paper. Crease down the valley fold and push out the mountain fold.
- Once the triangle shape on the paper opens, fold down the top of the paper so it lays down horizontally. It should now look like you have a triangle shape coming out of the side of the paper and a horizontal section.^{[12]XResearch source}
9
Make a valley and a mountain fold again. Take the bottom corner of the folded section and fold it over to make a valley fold. Then, unfold it.
- Take far left section of the folded section between your fingers and pinch it so it folds. This will create a mountain fold. Unfold the fold.
10
Open up the paper using the valley fold and the mountain fold. Crease down the valley fold and push out the mountain fold.
- Keeping the paper open on these folds, fold over the right side of the paper.
- The paper should now have a triangle on the top of the folded right side and a triangle coming from the side of the paper.
- These triangles are going to be the points of your star.
11
Make a valley and a mountain fold again. Take the top left corner of the folded right side and fold it over. Then, unfold it. This is the valley fold.
- Take the bottom right section between your fingers and pinch it so it folds. Then, unfold it. This will create a mountain fold.
12
Open up the right fold. This should also lift the triangle shape on the right fold up.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Then, lift up the flap in the bottom middle of the paper. Fold it to the left. This should then raise the bottom half of the paper.
- Use the creases you made earlier on the paper to fold up the bottom half of the paper. Lay the bottom of the paper flat. The bottom fold should now look like an upside down triangle with a flat top.
You should now have a beautiful four pointed star.^{[14]XResearch source}

Expert Q&A

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Question
What advice do you have for someone who's trying to get started doing origami as a beginner?
Robert Homayoon
Origami Expert
Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013.
Robert Homayoon
Origami Expert
Expert Answer
Get a couple of simple books that teach you the basic folds, valley folds, and mountain folds. Work on your hand coordination skills and being precise. Try to be as accurate as possible with the instructions. I find watching videos is a little bit better than reading books. But it's sometimes a good idea to watch videos and read books.
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Question
How does this help me get a girlfriend?
Community Answer
You could give her the star as a gift. Then, compare her to it, saying that, to you, she is a star.
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Question
What about a five pointed star?
Community Answer
You can use stars on Christmas trees or as just decorations however you like.
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