Popsicle Stick Star Garland for Holidays and Parties

A popsicle stick garland of five-point stars is a decoration that works for winter holidays, birthdays and any party that needs something across a wall or a mantel shelf. Each star takes five standard craft sticks and no cutting, so the whole garland is a matter of gluing, painting and tying.

The star is the continuous-line kind, the one drawn without lifting the pencil. Every stick runs from one tip to another, and the only glue joints are at the five tips, where two stick ends overlap. Craft sticks is the name popsicle sticks are sold under, and a single pack is usually more than enough.

What You Need

• 25 standard craft sticks for five stars, plus a few spares
• White craft glue or tacky glue
• Acrylic craft paint in two colors, such as mustard and coral, and a brush
• Twine, about 64 in (163 cm) for five stars
• Wax paper and a heavy book
• Scissors for the twine, pencil and scrap paper
• Removable adhesive hooks for hanging

Sort out the straightest sticks first. Five sticks have to meet at five tips, and one bowed stick leaves a tip that will not close.

How Long to Make It

A star made from standard sticks is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide, the length of one stick. With a one-stick gap between stars, the decorated part of the garland is easy to work out: count the stars, count the gaps and multiply by the stick length.

Garland length	Stars	Sticks
About 40 in (103 cm)	5	25
About 58 in (149 cm)	7	35
About 76 in (194 cm)	9	45

These lengths cover the stars and the gaps between them. Add about 12 in (30 cm) of bare twine at each end for tying or hooking, and measure your own sticks, since packs vary.

The Five-Stick Star

1. Make an inverted V. On wax paper, lay two sticks so their top ends overlap and their lower ends spread apart, like a narrow tent. The lower ends should be a little more than half a stick length apart.
2. Add two crossing sticks. Lay the third stick from the lower left end, running up and across to the right. Lay the fourth from the lower right end, running up and across to the left. These two cross each other and the first two, and their upper ends mark the left and right tips of the star.
3. Complete the star with a horizontal stick. Lay the fifth stick straight across, joining the left and right tips. Adjust until all five points look alike, then lift each overlapping end, add a dot of glue and press it back, so there is glue at all five tips.

Dry fit the whole star before any glue goes on. The shape only works when all five sticks are in place, and it is much easier to nudge loose sticks than glued ones. Once the tips are glued, cover the star with wax paper and a heavy book until the glue has set. The sticks pass over and under each other in the middle, so they flex slightly; the weight keeps the tips in contact while the glue grips.

Painting the Stars

Paint after the glue has set, when the stars can be handled. Alternate the colors along the garland: for five stars, two mustard, two coral and one left as natural wood in the middle works well, or simply alternate mustard, natural and coral. Use thin coats, paint the edges, and turn each star over once the front is dry to the touch, since the back will show whenever the garland twists. The guide to painting popsicle sticks without warping explains how to get even color.

Tying and Spacing the Stars

At the top point of each star, the two crossing sticks leave a small triangular opening. Thread the twine through that opening, wrap it once around the tip and tie a simple overhand knot, snug enough that the star cannot slide along the twine.

Start with the middle star at the center of the twine and work outward. To space the stars evenly, lay a loose craft stick along the twine beside the star just tied and place the next star’s knot at the far end of that stick, measured tip to tip. The stick is a gauge, so there is no need for a ruler, and the gaps match the width of the stars.

Common Problems

• The star is lopsided. The first inverted V was too wide or too narrow. Dry fit all five sticks and adjust before gluing.
• A tip pops open. The overlapping ends had too little glue or were not weighted. Reglue the tip and clip it with a clothespin.
• Stars flip to face the wall. The knot is loose. Tie it tight against the tip, or add a second knot.
• Stars slide together. The twine was only threaded through, not knotted around the tip.

Variations, Hanging and Storage

Mini sticks make stars about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide, built the same way, for a finer garland or to alternate with the large ones. Stick snowflake ornaments can be tied between the stars for a winter version, and the same paint colors tie the garland to a geometric sunburst wall piece in the same room.

Hang the garland from removable adhesive hooks, used as that product directs, or tie the ends to existing fixtures. Let it drape in a gentle curve instead of pulling it tight.

To store it, wind the garland loosely around a piece of card with the stars lying flat, and keep it in a box where nothing presses on the tips.