How long does a coconut leaf star take to fold?

About fifteen minutes for the first one and nearer eight minutes once you know the rhythm. It is the quickest figure on the site.

Why is my leaf star lopsided?

The points were not all the same length. Measure each new point against the first before creasing, because a short point cannot be stretched back once folded.

Can I hang coconut leaf stars outdoors?

They are best kept indoors. Damp air softens the leaf and turns it brown within a few days, so use them on indoor trees and sheltered doorways only.

Fold a Coconut Leaf Star Ornament

In short

A quick five-point coconut leaf star you can fold in fifteen minutes. Perfect for garlands, gift toppers and simple Christmas tree ornaments.

The star is the fastest figure on this site. One leaflet, fifteen minutes, five folds, and you have an ornament that looks far more deliberate than the effort it took.

It is also the project I hand to children who have never folded a leaf before, because there is only one hard fold and the rest is repetition.

You are essentially folding a strip into five points that all meet in the middle. The trick is to keep the points the same length; if one is short the star looks lopsided, and no amount of trimming fixes it. Fold the first point, then measure every later point against it by eye before you crease.

What You'll Need

1 coconut leaflet, about 35 cm long
Scissors
A damp cloth
Fine twine or thread for hanging

Folding the five points

Making the star

1

Strip and soften

Pull the leaflet from the rib and wipe it with a damp cloth. Fold it in half lengthways to make a strong, narrow strip.
2

First point

Fold the strip at a sharp angle about 6 cm from the end to make the first point, and pinch the crease.
3

Wrap the second

Wrap the strip around the first point and fold a matching point on the other side. Match the length against the first one.
4

Continue to five

Keep wrapping and folding, matching each new point to the last, until five points meet in a circle.
5

Lock the centre

Thread the short tail through the middle and pull it tight so the points gather into a firm centre.
6

Trim and hang

Trim the tail, thread a 15 cm length of twine through the top point, and knot it to make a hanging loop.

Three folded coconut leaf stars hanging from twine — Fold a batch of five in one sitting; they look best hung in clusters.

Keeping the star even

Match every point to the first one before you crease it; short points cannot be rescued.
A damp leaf folds without cracking, so wipe it as you go.
Pull the centre tail tight last, once all five points are folded.
Fold a batch in one sitting while your hands remember the rhythm.

Hanging and storing your stars

Stars dry in about an hour and stiffen as they do. Thread the hanging twine through the top point while the leaf is still slightly soft, or the point may split when you push the thread through. For storage, lay them flat in a paper bag rather than a plastic one; trapped moisture is what turns a bright green star brown within a week. Hung indoors, away from sun, a star keeps its colour for about a month.