I was completely enamoured with the Celtic star when I first saw it and figured out how to do two versions myself.
The first was the first few I did, and I found it pretty floppy. The second, where the inside ring went through different rings, was more structured and maintained it's shape better. They will be a nice addition to the baskets I am doing, and a nice accompaniment to the snowflakes I did last year.
Then I played with purple O-rings and thought they looked pretty cool.
I wanted to use them for Christmas ornaments, but they were small and would lose impact on a large tree with other ornaments. They are only about an inch across. So I made them the focal point of beaded ornaments (and may use them for toppers for tassels or icicles too - haven't gotten that far).
Here is there evolved form:
I used Nymo to string them, size 10/0 glass beads, and fire polished crystals for accents. They were framed in a metal bangle to help hold their shape.
Sorry, this tutorial will be PAINFULLY LONG because there are two variations of the star, and two variations so far of the beading around the star. Also, I sometimes have trouble translating the voices in my head onto paper
Celtic Stars Tutorial
material list:
(same material list for both versions of metal star)
16 – 9 mm outside diameter split jump rings
25 - 6 mm OD split jump rings
5 – 3 mm OD split jump rings
Jump ring opener (optional – I like to use one personally)
2 chain nose pliers
work surface (I use a piece of fleece material, makes a nice work surface for beading)
For making stars using rubber o-rings, replace 10 of the 9 mm OD jump rings with 10 – 9 mm OD o-rings, and replace 1 of the 9 mm jump rings with a 7 mm jump ring, as the o-rings are a thicker width around than the jump rings.
Version One 
1. Open all 3 mm, and 6 mm jump rings. Open 6 of the 9 mm jump rings
2. Pick up a 6 mm open ring, and pass through 4 – 9 mm closed rings; close smaller ring
3. Lay connected rings out so that 2 pairs of 9mm rings lay on either side of the smaller ring
4. Pick up an open 9 mm ring, pass it around the smaller ring, between the pairs of closed 9 mm rings and close it. All the 9 mm rings should lay flat now, with the newest one sandwiched between the other pairs of rings, and around, not through, the smaller ring
5. Pick up another 6 mm ring, and pass through a new pair of closed 9 mm rings, and the pair at the end of the chain. Close the ring.
6. Repeat from step 4 until you have a chain that has 5 pairs of stacked 9mm rings
7. Pick up a new 6mm ring, and pass through a section where three 9mm rings intersect, on the edge. Repeat along the length of the chain, on both sides, closing all rings
8. Pick up an open 9mm ring, and pass through all the closed 6mm rings down one side and close
9. Pick up new 6 mm ring, and pass through the 4 9mm rings from both ends of the chain, closing the chain into a circle. Close the ring.
10. Pass the last open 9mm ring around the smaller ring just added, between the pairs of larger rings. Place and close the remaining 6mm rings in the intersecting spaces, making sure the ones that fall within the circle also go around the inner 9mm ring. Close all open rings.
11. On the outside, gather pairs of the outermost 6mm rings over the doubled 9mm rings, and use open 3mm rings to connect them into 5 pairs.
If using rubber o-rings, replace the closed pairs of 9mm jump rings with o-rings in the pattern. The 7mm jump ring replaces the center 9mm ring, it is smaller to accommodate the thicker o-rings. You can use a 9mm ring, but it is a bit tight and slightly distorted.
Version 2 (makes for a looser/floppier star)
Open all 3mm, 6mm rings, open 1-9mm ring, keep 15 closed
1. Take a 6mm ring, and connect a pair of 9mm closed rings, close the smaller ring.
2. Repeat until you have 5 larger rings connected in a row by 4 smaller rings
3. Place chain flat, sandwich the connected 6mm ring between two closed 9 mm rings, so that all the larger rings, including the connected ones lie flat
4. In each of the 4 spaces where all three larger rings intersect, insert an open 6mm ring and close it. This holds the 2 larger rings in place. Repeat along the rest of the chain.
5. Pick up open 9 mm ring, and pass through all the 6mm rings down one long edge, and close, bringing the chain together into a circle
6. Bring together the 2 end 9mm rings, and link with an open 6 mm ring, and close it.
7. Sandwich that 6mm ring with two 9mm rings as in step 3, and connect with 4-6mm rings in the intersections as in step 4.
8. Use the 3mm rings to gather the outside 6mm rings into pairs to form star shape as for version 1.
When closing rings, make sure the edges are as flush together as possible. When beading, make sure any rings that has thread/strands of beads attached has the split turned towards the centre so that the beading thread will not slip out of the ring, through the split.
Beaded Ornaments
Materials
1 Celtic star
1 string of 10/0 glass Czech seed beads
Nylon beading thread (I use Nymo size A, but C-Lon, or Superlon are fine too)
Beading needles
Fire polished crystals
Metal bangle (mine had a 65 mm inside diameter)
Bead glue (optional)
Ribbon for hanger
thread conditioner (I use thread heaven, but bees wax or a synthetic should be fine – it keeps the thread from fraying as much, and helps it weave more smoothly and knot better)
Note – some bangles are differently sized, you may need to experiment with the number of seed beads that gives you best fit. The numbers given are what suits my bangles so that I do not have large areas of bare thread; even then I have to add 2 beads evenly on the odd arm of the ornament.
When threading through beads on arms already established in the design, if coming from the centre (the star) go up from the bottom of the bead towards the outer edge of the design. If coming from the outer edge, thread needle from top of bead towards centre.
Version One1. Measure out approx ½ a meter of thread and cut it. Condition and stretch, and thread through needle
2. Tie end of thread with several loops and secure knots through a 3mm ring on Celtic star, leaving a tail so ends can be woven in later
3. Pick up 11 beads, 1 crystal, 3 beads, and attach with thread, several loops, to bangle. Make sure beads and thread are taut.
4. Feed needle back through last bead, pick up one bead, skip next bead, thread through 1 bead, crystal, 1 bead. Pick up 10 beads and attach thread to next 3mm ring on star
5. Pick up 10 beads, 1 crystal, 3 beads, attach to bangle, repeat from step 4 until you have 5 arms around the star, attaching 9 beads on the last round before feeding through the first bead on the first arm to complete the round (again, you may need to add two beads evenly to one or two arms to ensure a full design). Spread arms out evenly around bangle
6. Feed needle up one beaded arm through the 1st 6 beads, pick up 6 beads, 1 crystal, three beads, and attach to bangle, between two arms from the first round.
7. Feed back through 1 bead, picking up 1 bead, skip a bead, and feed through next bead, crystal, 1 bead. Pick up 5 beads and feed through 6th bead from the bottom of the next arm
8. Pick up 5 beads, attack to outermost large single ring of Celtic star, feed back through last bead, pick up 4 beads and repeat from 7 around to beginning of round. Secure thread ends by weaving in several rows of beads, and knotting between beads (pull taut to hide knots in bead holes. Trim excess thread closely.
9. Spread arms out evenly around bangle. Knots and where thread attaches to metal can be secured by a small dab of bead glue. Make loop from ribbon and attach to bangle as hanger.
Version 21. This time, attach end of thread securely to outermost single 9mm jump ring
2. Pick up 16 beads, attach thread to bangle, and feed back through 1 bead.
3. Pick up 15 beads and attach to next 9mm ring, feed back through last bead and pick up 15 beads and attach to bangle. Repeat this step until you reach the first bead again, yielding 5 arms in a star shape around bangle. Feed through first bead to Celtic star (again, add two beads evenly to occasional arm if necessary)
4. Feed thread up side of one arm through the 7th bead from the Celtic star, pick up 5 beads, 1 crystal, 3 beads, and attach to bangle, evenly between the arms of the first round.
5. Feed back through last bead, pick up 1 bead, skip the next bead, and feed through 1 bead, crystal, 1 bead. Pick up 4 beads and feed through 7th bead from bottom of next arm from first round. Attach thread to 3mm jump ring on Celtic star, feed back through 1 bead
6. Pick up 4 beads and feed through 7th bead from bottom of next arm, pick up 5 beads, 1 crystal, 3 beads, and attach to bangle, repeat from step 5 around star until you have another 5 arms of round 2.
7. Weave thread ends through several times, and secure with knots, trimming off excess, and securing as with version one, add hanger.
