How to Make a Layered Paper Star and Tassel Christmas Garland

Paper stars with soft cotton tassels are one of the easiest ways to make a mantel, a window or a doorway feel handmade and a little nostalgic for the holidays. Ideal Home’s roundup of 2026 Christmas decor trends lists tassels and fringe, along with layered Scandi style paper stars, among the looks to watch this season, and this garland puts the two together.

Each star is built from three stacked sizes of cardstock, so it has real depth, and each one hangs with a plump tassel in a matching color. Use cardstock and yarn you already have where possible. Make one sample first to check the proportions and hanging method before cutting the full set. This version makes five stars, and it is easy to add more for a longer run.

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Project note: The images are AI-created illustrations of the proposed design, not photographs documenting a completed or tested project. Actual layer positions, tassel fullness and hanging points will depend on your materials.

What You Will Need

• Cardstock in sage green and terracotta: You want heavyweight paper that holds its shape when cut and layered. This assorted cardstock pack includes sage green and terracotta sheets in a 92 lb weight.
• Cream cardstock: Cream is the third layer color. This cream cardstock is the same 92 lb weight, so every layer stacks evenly.
• Cotton yarn: One skein of each color makes all five tassels with yarn to spare. Try cream, sage green and rust cotton yarn, or choose shades that match your paper.
• Jute twine: About 6 to 7 feet carries five stars with room to hang. A spool of natural jute twine gives you plenty.
• Foam adhesive dots: These lift each layer off the one below. These round foam dots come in two small sizes and are easy to press into place.
• Small scissors: Tight star points and tassel trimming are easier with a pair of micro-tip scissors.
• A single hole punch: A small hole punch makes the hanging hole at the top of each star. The 1/8 inch size works well.
• Cardboard and a pencil: A scrap piece of cardboard about 4 inches wide is for wrapping the tassels, and a pencil is for tracing the star templates.

How to Make the Garland

Step 1: Make Your Star Templates

Draw a five point star about 4 1/2 inches across on the cardboard and cut it out. Repeat to make a medium star about 3 1/2 inches across and a small star about 2 1/2 inches across. If you have nested star cookie cutters, you can trace those instead.

Step 2: Cut the Layers

Five stars need fifteen cut stars: five large, five medium and five small. Trace the templates onto the back of the cardstock so no pencil marks show, then cut them out, turning the paper as you go to keep the points crisp. Mix the colors so each star has a different order, for example cream, sage and terracotta for one and terracotta, cream and sage for the next.

For extra dimension, press a light crease down the center of each point, then open the star flat again. The faceted look catches the light.

Step 3: Stack the Layers

Press a foam dot onto the center of a large star, set a medium star on top, then add a dot to the medium star and press the small star in the middle. Turn each layer a little so its points sit between the points of the layer below. Hold it for a few seconds so the dots grip.

Step 4: Make the Tassels

Wrap yarn around the 4 inch piece of cardboard about 12 times. Slide a 6 inch length of yarn under the loops at the top and tie it tightly. Slip the bundle off the cardboard, then wrap another piece of yarn around the bundle about half an inch below the knot, tie it off and tuck in the ends. Snip through the loops at the bottom and trim the ends even. Make five tassels, one to go with each star.

Step 5: Attach the Tassels

Punch a small hole near the lower edge of the largest backing star, between its two lower tips. Leave at least 1/4 inch of intact cardstock between the hole and the cut edge. Thread the tassel’s tying yarn through this hole and knot it at the back. Keep the weight on the backing star rather than the smaller decorative layers. Check one assembly before repeating it; if the paper bends or tears, use a lighter tassel or reinforce the back with a small cardstock patch before punching.

Step 6: String the Garland

Punch a hanging hole in the top point of the largest backing star only, leaving at least 1/4 inch of cardstock between the hole and the edge. The smaller layers do not reach this point. Cut 6 to 7 feet of main twine. Center five hanging positions along it, with about 8 inches between neighboring stars; five stars have four gaps, spanning about 32 inches from first center to last center. The remaining twine provides room for end ties and a gentle drape. Cut a separate 8 inch tie for each star, thread it through the hanging hole, and knot it around the main twine. Lift one star gently to check the knot and cardstock before hanging the full set.

Tips for a Neat Garland

• Use one paper weight: Layers cut from the same cardstock weight sit flat and stay crisp.
• Trim tassels side by side: Line them up on the table before the last snip so they all hang to the same length.
• Flatten curls: Flatten individual cardstock pieces before assembly. Do not put a heavy book on the finished foam-spaced stack, because it can crush the raised layers.
• Change the palette: Red, green and gold, or all white with a little silver, work with the same steps.
• Go longer: Add stars and tassels in sets of five and join extra lengths of twine for a longer run.

Check Before Hanging

Hang the garland indoors from secure supports suitable for the surface and the finished weight. Keep paper, yarn and twine away from candles, heaters and fireplaces, including mantel areas exposed to heat or sparks. Keep hanging loops out of reach of young children and pets. This is a decoration, not a toy.

If a star tips forward, shorten its separate hanging tie and check that the tassel is centered beneath the backing star. If the twine sags too much, shorten the display span or use fewer stars rather than pulling hard against the supports. Store finished stars flat in a shallow box without stacking heavy objects on the raised layers.

Where to Hang It

A mantel is the classic spot, especially with a few sprigs of greenery tucked behind the garland. A window frame lets the daylight shine around the stars, and a doorway, a bookshelf or a stair rail gives the garland a place in rooms that do not usually get decorated. You can also snip the stars apart and hang each one on the tree as an ornament.

Finish the Look

If you are building a handmade holiday look, these stars sit nicely beside a few freestanding paper Christmas trees on a side table, and a handful of no-sew felt ornaments adds soft texture to the tree itself.

Once the garland is up, switch off the overhead light and let the tree lights do the rest. Paper and cotton look warm and soft in that glow, and the whole project costs very little. I can’t wait to see how yours turns out.