Christmas in a week

It's not too late. There is still a week to Christmas this year. And then there is always next year!

I have already made several of these ... and given them away. Now here is one I am going to keep. I also wrote a bit of a "How to".

Traditionally Fröbelsterne  (or Moravian Stars) are made with paper. I have made them since I was a child in Germany. Paper doesn't always last that long, but last year I decided to make them with fabric. I think they turn out pretty good. People seem to be excited when they receive them as gifts.

Fröbelstern

You can find something about it HERE.

In Germany you can buy 'kits" of precut paper strips to make these stars. This year I even found some kits before Christmas time at our new Lidl here in Richmond.

HERE IS A LINK which is very informative. It has a step-by-step drawing but also u-tube links etc.
I found out that the star is called by at least all these names: Advent Star, Danish Star, German Star, Moravian Star, Nordic Star, Pennsylvanian Star, Polish Star, Swedish Star or (!) Froebel Star.

Long time ago I also used stiff ribbon. But here is how I did it with fabric.

I cut a piece of HEATnBOND LITE 30 inches by 4.5 inches.

Iron on the back of a piece of fabric. I like this bonding material because it is used with a dry iron, no steam.

Trim all around, peel and iron on another piece of fabric. It can be the same material or different. The selection of front and back material or even different strips make a lot of difference.

Cut the fabric-sandwich in 4 strips each 1 inch wide.

In the internet instructions they say to cut slanted to the tip but that makes the tip week. I do it like this which makes it much easier.

Follow the online instructions. There are many. If you don't like one, there is another you might like better.

Tweezers are my most important tool. Instead of trying to stick the strip through I enter with the tweezers where the strip is supposed to come out and then pull it.

The next two photos show front and back ... different because my front and back fabric was different. I could have used two strips folded the other way ... etc etc.

I like thin gold or silver elastic and make an overhand knot taking the two ends together. A bit of glue into one of the tips and insert the knot-end.

Done! (see photos in the beginning)