Simple DIY party decor is my jam. I love a decoration that makes a big impact, but doesn’t cost a ton or take a lot of time. This garland is perfect for my needs. Plus, with so many paper straw options, there are a ton of cute color/pattern combinations to choose from!

All you need to create this cute garland is: paper straws (I’m a fan of using 2 kinds, but you can do more), string cut to the length you want your garland, a glue gun, scissors, and a ruler.

You’ll need 9 straws for each bunch of straws on the garland. My straws were 8″ long, so I started by cutting off 3″ to make them all 5″ long. I kept one the 5″ length, then cut 1/2″ off two straw, then 1″ off two straws. Then 1 1/2″ off two more straws, then 2″ off the last two straws. They should look similar to these:

Now, starting in the middle of your string, hot glue the middle straw (the longest one) down first. I recommend working on wax paper to prevent your straws from accidentally being glued to your surface. Then, do the two next-longest straws on both sides of the first straw. Continue by adding the next-tallest two straws to the string on the outsides of the previous two straws. Once all nine straws are glued in order, they should form a flag-like shape. Kind of like an arrow pointing down.

Using the same glueing steps, create your paper straw “flags” all along your garland. You can hang it by itself, or with other homemade garlands, or however you like! These work awesome as photo backdrops, hanging along a table, or just hanging on a wall to give your event that fun, simple DIY element:)