Cute craft projects for your New Year’s Eve party look!
This is an edited extract from Piñata Party by Kitiya Palaskas published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $22.99 and is available in stores nationally. Photographer: © Mark Lobo.
Making the piñata fringe
- To create fringe for your piñata, cut a segment from the folded crepe paper packet, about 3cm wide.
- Take the folded segment and find the middle. Insert your scissors into the middle and cut up the fold line, leaving about 1cm uncut at the top. Repeat this step on the other end of the segment. Close up the segment so it’s flat again.
- Make cuts all the way along the length of the segment, on the same side as your first two cuts. Space each cut about 5mm apart, leaving the same 1cm uncut along the top of the strip. Once you’ve done this, ruffle the cut edge to separate the individual crepe paper sheets, as they can fuse together when you’re cutting through multiple layers. Gently unfold each layer to reveal your fringe.
Mini fringe: To make mini fringe for small piñata projects, simply cut the crepe paper segment at a smaller width – try 2cm – and make your cuts closer together. Some projects ask for ‘tiny, finely cut’ fringe, which is a bit smaller again. You may need to make these cuts layer by layer, as it gets fiddly and messy trying to cut through multiple layers of crepe at close intervals.
Fringed party hats
I love a good party hat! Wearing one always makes me feel silly and playful, which is, in my opinion, the exact way you should feel at a party. These hats are made extra festive with the addition of metallic fringe and a mystical charm on top. To save time, you could also use store-bought party hats, but I’ve provided a template so you can use it for future parties, to make hats in any pattern or colour you like.
You will need
- Party hat template
- Scissors
- Pencil
- 2 x A3 sheets white card
- Hole punch
- Double-sided tape
- Masking tape
- Elastic
- 1/4 packet metallic crepe paper (a different colour for each hat)
- 2 small pieces glitter card (a different colour for each hat)
- Hot-glue gun
Instructions
- Using a photocopier, enlarge the party hat template by 830%. Transfer the template onto the white card, making sure you also transfer the hole punch markings. Cut out two party hats. Use the hole punch to create holes at the marked points on each hat.
- Stick a strip of double-sided tape along one straight edge of each hat. Curve each hat into a cone shape and stick together along the taped edge. Secure along this edge with a strip of masking tape on the inside and outside of the hat.
- Measure and cut a piece of elastic (long enough to securely hold the hat on your head). Thread the elastic through the punched holes and tie with double knots. Repeat for the second hat.
- Create fringe for the hats using metallic crepe paper. Apply double-sided tape to each hat and cover with the fringe.
- Draw and cut out two moon and two star shapes from glitter card. Use the hot-glue gun to stick each shape together, blank sides facing in, so they are double-sided. Glue the shapes onto the top of the hats.
Disco ball earrings
Here’s a piñata-themed project that you can wear! I love statement earrings, and have been designing and making them for a few years now. Part disco, part crystal ball, these shimmery, eccentric li’l numbers will make your party outfit pop.
You will need
- Jewellery pliers
- 2 earring hooks
- 2 metal eyepins
- Hot-glue gun
- 2 small polystyrene balls, 5cm in diameter
- Scissors
- Small quantity gold crepe paper
Instructions
- Use the jewellery pliers to attach an earring hook to each eyepin. Squeeze a dab of hot glue onto the end of each eyepin and stick one into each of the polystyrene balls.
- Cut out two small circles from the gold crepe paper, about 2.5cm in diameter. Using the hot-glue gun, stick a circle onto the base of each ball, using your hands to mould and stick the paper around the base of the ball.
- Create tiny, finely cut fringe for the earrings using the gold crepe paper.
- Starting from the base (where you glued the crepe paper circle) and working towards the top, carefully wrap the fringe around each ball, securing it in place with hot glue. When you have covered the ball, trim any excess fringe.
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