How to Make a "Polish Porcupine" Paper Christmas Ornament

As I said in the "Preparing for Christmas" post, at school, preparing for Christmas,  we learned to make "Polish Porcupine" ornaments. Why somebody would do this today escapes me, but in honor of Olga Hansen, third and fourth grade teacher, I am explaining this craft. I can’t believe that third- and fourth-graders did this: we must have been  more patient then, we aren’t that patient now.

Materials and Equipment:

Colored paper:  construction paper, wrapping paper, newspaper ads

2 buttons, or cardboard substitutes, 3/8 to ½” diameter

Thread

Scissors

Paper glue or paste

Sharpened pencil

Template for a circle 3” diameter (a jar lid or drinking glass works)

Instructions:

Draw 10 or 12 circles on colored paper and cut them out. Slash each circle to within about ½” of the center to make 8 petals.

Hold the sharp end of the pencil close to the outer edge of each petal. Roll the petal around the pencil to make a point, and glue each point into place.

Stack  up the disks, now formed into spiked circles. Place a button on each end, then sew the disks together, pulling the threads tight through the buttons. Pulling tight pulls the disks into a spiked sphere. Cut a generous tail on the sewing thread to be an ornament hangar, and the ornament is complete.