VIDEO: The Messina star

Making a Messina star only requires a little preparation and a few skillful manipulations. It doesn't take long to bring Christmas splendor to your home. These handicraft instructions show how it's done.

Tinker a Messina star - in preparation

Before you start building the Messina star according to the handicraft instructions below, make sure you have all the materials you need for it.

1. It's easiest when you are pre-made stencils download from the Internet.
2. Then print the stencils in the size of your choice on the craft paper. The template must be cut out five times. So your paper needs change depending on the size you choose.
3. If you want to have a pattern on the star later, print the stencils on the unprinted or, if you want to paint the pattern yourself, on the unpainted side.


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4. For a solid variant, it is advisable to use construction paper. As a rule, you can get this in any handicraft shop. The paper may be two different ones
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   Colours to bring a little more life to the matter. But be careful when choosing the colors so that it doesn't get too colorful.

You will also need scissors and glue. Instead of the adhesive, you can of course also use double-sided adhesive tape.

The handicraft instructions: step by step

1. Use the scissors to cut out the printed templates for the Messina star along the solid lines.
2. Bend the narrow surfaces according to the dashed lines. Since these areas are intended for gluing the star together, they are referred to as adhesive strips in the following.
3. Fold the rest of the template inwards along the dashed lines on the inside. This results in a star point.
4. Glue them in this shape so that the adhesive strip is on the inside and cannot be seen.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 of the instructions until all templates are folded in the same way. If you would like small holes in the Messina star for an illuminated variant, you can now carefully pierce the prongs with a pair of scissors or a needle.
6. Now take two of the prongs and glue them together. To do this, you need to glue the adhesive strips from one template to the other. The adhesive strips on the second template remain free for the next point. Keep doing this until all five points are connected to form a star.
7. For an illuminated Messina star, leave the last connection open and insert a small light source into the construction.
8. With a needle and thread, pull a thread halfway between the two adjacent and not yet glued prongs.
9. Then pull the two ends of the thread taut and tie them together. You can hang the Messina star on it later.
10. For an unlit star, you can simply glue the two points together.

Now you can hang up the star. If you have decided on the illuminated variant, make sure that you fasten the cables well and do not put any stress on the Messina star. Otherwise it could tear. Also, you should never leave the star unattended when it is on.