Waldorf Window Stars - Learn One Fold to Create Many Designs

Window stars are often seen brightening the windows of Waldorf schools and homes. These works of art fit beautifully with Waldorf tenants like embracing creativity, noticing the beauty that surrounds us, and developing patience through crafting. They are folded from kite paper in seasonal colors and hung to mark the season or a coming festival.

They can appear intimidating if you haven’t tried to make them though! Today we’re sharing one basic fold that is quite simple, but can be used to create many different designs of window stars. This is a great fold to craft along with your children. Taking moments to slow our pace and do some meditative crafting is a wonderful way to connect with your family or find some inner calm. The repetitive folding is the perfect chance to relax and unwind.

Create many different designs using one basic fold

The fold

You will need 8 squares of kite paper in whatever colors you feel called to. The booklets of kite paper we carry already come in squares, but I have divided these squares into 4 smaller squares to make the paper last longer, as well as to make a star that fits better in my windows. I will be creating a rainbow star so I have 8 squares in 8 different colors.

Step 1. Begin with one square of kite paper.

Step 2. Fold the square in half diagonally.

Step 3. Unfold to reveal center guide line.

Step 4. Fold one outer point in to meet the center line.

Step 5. Fold the opposite side point in to meet the center line.

Step 6. Fold the bottom edge inward to line up with the center line.

Step 7. Repeat this fold with the opposite edge.

Step 8. You have finished one point of your star, hoorah!

Repeat this process with all 8 squares of kite paper. Then, use a glue stick to attach one point to the next, lining up one points bottom outer edge with the center line of the next point. Once you reach the last point, make sure to overlap it’s bottom edge with the first point of the star. And voila! You’ve created cheerful, colorful art to catch sunlight coming through your window. I’ve found the best way to attach stars to the windows to be with just a couple small smudges of the glue stick. Once it’s time to remove the stars, the glue cleans off the window easily with a little scrub.

Other designs with the same fold

This fold is very versatile. Use it to create this 8 pointed star in different colors and patterns, or make a few small tweaks to use it in many other designs.

Butterfly

To create a butterfly, you need 5 squares of kite paper. 4 will become the wings and one will become the body.

Step 1. Repeat all folds from the first set of instructions.

Step 2. Fold the top corner point down to create a more rounded shape.

Step 3. Repeat these steps in all 4 squares for the wings.

Step 4. To create the body, begin by recreating the same folds used to make the wings.

Step 5. Fold the widest outer edge inward to line up with the center guide line.

Step 6. Repeat fold on opposite side.

Step 7. Use a glue stick to attach the wings together. Overlap one point’s outermost bottom edge with the other wing’s edge just enough that they come together at the top.

Step 8. Flip the body piece so the folds are on the underside and attach both sets of wings at the center line.

You’ve created a beautiful butterfly to flutter to your window!

Daisy

To create a daisy, use the same folding process as we used with the butterfly wings. You’ll need 8 squares of kite paper folded this way, plus a small circle for the center of the flower. Glue each of the 8 petals together, leaving as little overlap between the petals as you can possibly get.

Heart

Creating a kite paper heart might just be the simplest of them all. You need two squares of kite paper. Fold them just as we folded the butterfly wings. Glue them together by overlapping one edge with the edge of the second point. That’s it!

This one fold can be used in so many ways. It is straightforward and easy to learn, and once you’ve practiced it a couple times, you can whip them up with no trouble.

Find more window star and craft tutorials on our Instagram - @tricia_rvanaturals.

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