How fun is this garland!  We used inexpensive star-shaped pool noodles and made tissue puffs to craft this fun and festive 4th of July garland.  If you are going to use this near the pool – substitute a white pool noodle for the tissue puffs.  Kids will love contributing to the celebration by making this fun project. Great for the 4th, a picnic or backyard barbeque!

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What you'll need:

• White Tissue Paper  (9 - 6” x 9” sheets of white tissue for each white puff)

• Twist ties

• Star-shaped Pool noodle – 1 red/ 1 blue (we found ours at Target)

• Carpet  or upholstery needle

• Ribbon

• Red and blue craft  paint ( we used acrylic)

• Serrated knife

• Note: Have an adult help with the knife

 

How to make the garland:

To make the White puffs: 

1. Cut white tissue paper into 6” x 9” sheets.  For each puff you will need 9 of these sheets.  Stack them together and accordion fold the stack of tissues along the 6” edge like you would to make a fan. 

2. Take 2 twist ties and tie them together to make one long tie.  Make a small loop at one end twisting it together. Tie the other end of twist tie around the center of the accordion folded tissue. 

3. Gently separate the tissue sections, fluffing towards the center.  Continue making puffs until you have several.

4. Pour a little red and blue paint into bowls and lightly dip the edges of the white puffs into the paint.  Be careful not to overload the paint onto the tissue.  Set the puffs to dry on some wax or parchment paper, flipping over after about 10 minutes.

 

To make the Noodle Stars:

1. Have an adult use a serrated knife to cut 1 ¼” sections off of the star-shaped pool noodles.  Tip:  Use smooth sawing motions on your noodle.   Cut several from each color.

 

To assemble the garland:

1. Thread your ribbon onto your carpet needle.  A carpet or upholstery needle is a much thicker needle than a regular sewing needle.  It is larger and has a larger eye to thread your ribbon through.  We chose a 5/8” spool of red ribbon.  We had to fold the ribbon in half and do a little wiggling to get it threaded, but it worked.  A ½” ribbon would be easier to thread and would still look nice.

2. Time to add to your ribbon.  You will be alternating 1 red star, 1 white puff, 1 blue star.  To add a pool noodle star to your ribbon, run your needle through one star tip about ½” down from the point.  Gently pull your ribbon through the noodle away from the point.  It is important not to pull up towards the tip of the star – doing so might cause you to rip the tip of the star off.

3. Keep adding stars and puffs to your garland until you get the desired length.