Japanese Star Streamers

Tanabata is a popular Japanese festival based on a story of a Star Princess who was a weaver. She fell in love with the cow-heard star and neither star did their work. The star princess's father sent them to opposite ends of the Milky Way, only allowed to meet on the 7th day of the 7th Month. During the celebration, children write poems on streamers tied to the trees and streets are decorated with streamers made using origami folding techniques.

MATERIALS:
Origami paper or squares of construction paper or wrapping paper 4-5 " on each side
18" of string for each streamer
beads or cheerios, fruit loops, etc
Needle with an eye large enough for your string or yarn
Strip of paper to tie to the bottom long enough for a poem

DIRECTIONS:
To make one paper triangle:
Fold square in half (colored side in)
Fold that rectangle in half again
unfold completely
Fold in half diagonally (colored side in)
Unfold completely
Fold in half diagonally the other direction
Open completely, then using crease lines allready created, fold adjacent corners in making back to back triangles.
REPEAT !
Divide all your triangles into three sets
Thread needle and string triangles and beads. Put at least 3 beads or 6 cheerios in between triangles to keep them apart. Leave extra string at each end.
Knot at top and bottom to keep them from sliding around
Write a poem on slip of paper and tie to the bottom of the streamer
Hang using top end of string

From "Folk Art Projects Around the World"