Crepe Paper Garland 2

I made one of these paper garlands for my sissy's birthday a couple years ago, but didn't take very good pictures at that time. So when I decided to make another for Mickey's bachelorette party I remembered to document it a bit better - I'll repost the original directions from 8/19 and add more photos underneath:

You'll need big sheets of crepe paper, either in all one color or mix colors together. I ordered a 6 pack of multi colors from Amazon, each piece measures 20" wide by 8 feet long. It comes in rolls and reminds me of tissue paper but it's stretchy crepe paper material - I did not even know crepe paper comes in big sheets like this. I decided to use 3 different colors for her garland so that took 3 pieces of crepe paper each 20" by 8' long. Before you even unroll the paper, cut the rolls in half so each roll is two halves that are 10" wide each. Unroll the paper and stack the 10" sheets on top of each other, you'll have 6 sheets altogether stacked. Fold in half so your bundle is now 5" wide x 8' and staple along the long folded edge. After folding you'll have 12 sheets on top of each other. Make cuts almost to the fold, about 1" apart - this part reminds me of making a tie-blanket; you've just created an 8' fringed garland, folded and stapled on one side and fringed on the other. Make sense? Of course I forgot to take detailed pictures while I was doing it, so I simulated the steps with red paper (I'm saying that so you don't get confused why the garland was green, pink and orange, and is now red LOL!)

the top edge is the folded and stapled side, then fringe the loose edge

The next bit is time consuming but I stood at the counter doing it and reading my book at the same time - which is to say that it isn't hard at all and requires very little focus, it's just mindlessly working the fringed part of the paper. You need to pick up each piece of fringe individually and smooth it out - you know how crepe paper has that crinkly stretchy texture? Well if you gently pull it apart the crinkles stretch and smooth out and the fringe gets wider, fuller and fluffier. Continue with every. single. piece. of fringe - daunting I know but really it is simple, just watch tv or read or something while doing it and it goes much faster!

photo from the inspiration directions on cutting and smoothing out the fringe

Once the fringe has been smoothed out and fluffed, twist each fringe section and the stapled part turns almost into a rope-like core. At first it isn't pretty and you'll think "what the? this is not a pretty fun partyish garland at all" but give it time. The more you twist, I alternated twisting one way and then the other, the better it looks. Once you twist the entire length the garland holds its shape and doesn't unwind at all - I was a bit surprised about that actually! 

I love love how this garland turned out, so much so that (without asking my sis) I rescued it from the golf cart and squirreled it away when no one was looking - I'll be using this again in the future for sure!

click here for original source

2021: Present day and the pretty garland I made for Mickey with updated pics ~

follow the above directions to get a stack of paper 5" wide, staple along the folded edge

make cuts almost all the way to the staples, about 1" wide strips

every strip gets handled - gently pull each one to stretch it

Continue pulling and stretching each strip. When they are all done gently twist the stapled edge following the above directions to form a core.