How to make Paper 3D Snowflakes

Are you looking for a special snowflake decoration this holiday season? Make easy, impressive 3D paper snowflake decorations as a fabulous way to spruce up your home for the winter or Christmas holidays.  

Look at this gorgeous 3D paper snowflake! It may look fancy, but it is simple and easy to do.   Three-dimensional snowflakes are a fun DIY craft for the whole family; even kids.

Wouldn't these snowflakes look beautiful in your home as garland hanging from a mantle or over a door, as a paper Christmas ornament, hung from the ceiling or in a window?  The paper snowflakes can be made in many sizes from a 15" giant snowflake to smaller versions.

3D PAPER SNOWFLAKE TUTORIAL

As a child, many years ago, I remember making one of these 3D paper snowflakes during a school holiday party. We colored plain white paper before creating the paper snowflakes.  I believe I was in Kindergarten when I make my first 3D snowflake.

So, no matter what age, 3D snowflakes are a fun paper project. Younger kids would need more help.

For our version of the 3D paper snowflakes, we used scrapbooking paper from one of those large books of paper found at the craft stores. These scrapbooking sheets are thicker so they work well for the paper snowflakes. I've also seen them made from craft foam. A sparkly paper may also work, but we didn't try it ourselves.

You can make different-sized snowflakes depending on the size of the paper. The paper snowflakes made from scrapbooking paper are pretty large. 

If you are interested in making a fabric version of this snowflake, head over to our Fabric Snowflake Tutorial page.

Learn how to make 3D paper snowflakes by watching this video tutorial and reading on for photographic step-by-step instructions.

HOW TO MAKE A 3D PAPER SNOWFLAKE

What you need For this Paper Snowflake:

• Scrapbook Paper, copy paper, or craft foam.
• Scissors
• Glue dots or stapler

INSTRUCTIONS for making the 3d PAPER snowflake

Step 1: Cut Squares of Paper

To start the DIY paper snowflake, you will need to cut seven square pieces of paper.     For this tutorial, we are using 6" squares so this finished three-denominational snowflake will measure about 15" wide.  But you can make many different sizes as shown below.  Follow this size guide to decide how big you want your snowflake.

Approximate finished sizes from squares:

• 15" wide paper snowflake is made from 6" blocks
• 13" wide paper snowflake is made from 5" blocks.
• 7 1/2" wide paper snowflake is made from 3" blocks.

Step 2: Fold and Cut the 3D paper sections

With each square of paper, fold it in half diagonally from corner to corner to make a triangle.

 

Then fold it in half again diagonally, corner to corner to make a smaller triangle.

Hold it with the paper edges in your non-scissor hand with the two folds towards you. The single-fold should be up.

 

Cut 3 slits through all layers of the triangle from the edge with the two folds towards the edge with the single fold. Do not cut all the way through. Stop cutting 1/4" to 1/2" inch from the single folded edge. You will be cutting 3 slits parallel to each other and you need to try to evenly space them.

First Cut.Second cut.Third cut.

The photos below show the finished cuts for the first section of the 3D snowflake.
Repeat the cutting with the six remaining squares of paper.

Step 3: Twist, Glue & Flip 3D Snowflake Sections

Once you have your 7 pieces cut, carefully unfold one so it is flat. The square will look like this picture.

It's time to twist and flip. If you have a colored and white side of your paper, start with the color side up.

You can use glue dots or a stapler to hold the twists. We found that glue dots didn't hold the snowflake and it kept popping apart. But maybe you'll have more success with glue dots.

Twist the two points of the center cuts up and overlap the points to form a tube. Put a glue dot or staple these two pieces together.

Next, flip the paper square over so the paper's opposite side is facing up. Take the next two sections next to the center and overlap the points and glue/staple them together. Look at the photo below for more details.

Flip the paper over and glue/staple the next pair (3rd pair) together.

Flip once more and glue/staple the last two outmost sections. This is a finished section.

Repeat the above process with the remaining 6 pieces of paper squares.

Step 4: Joining Sections of the 3D Paper Snowflake

Start assembling the snowflake by lining all of the sections up side by side in the same direction. If your colored paper is on the right, make sure all are on the right.

Glue/staple the sections together at the middle where the sections touch. The middle is where you just glued/stapled them.

After gluing/stapling it should look like the above pictures.

Step 5 - Make a Snowflake Circle

Once you have the long row of them attached, keep the row of sections on the table, take the first and the last one and join them together in a circle. Glue/staple them together at the centers.

Step 6: Glue Inner Section of the 3D Snowflake

The last step is to glue/staple the center points together. We usually staple 3 together on each side, then staple the two sections of 3 together and to the last one.

Now the 3D snowflake is complete.

Step 7 - Punch a Hole to Hang

Lastly, use a hole punch to make a hole in one of the outside points.  Attach a length of string, yarn or ribbon to hang them by.  Hang the paper snowflakes from a mantle, on a tree, from the ceiling or in the window.

Your 3D paper snowflake is complete.  With how easy it is to make these, you can make a whole collection of them!  Scroll down to purchase supplies for this project.

Below is another 3D paper snowflake made with a different paper.

If you don't join the sections together into a snowflake, you can punch a hold in the top, attach yarn, thread or ribbon and hang these sections around the house and on the tree as a twirly ornament.

Another project to make with snowflakes is a Patriotic Star Garland.  This project is made with fabric but could easily be made with 3D Paper Snowflakes instead. This is a great decoration for Memorial Day or July 4th! 

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and decide to have a fun family evening together crafting some 3D paper snowflakes.

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Happy Crafting!
Chris

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Want more snowflake crafts?  Check out our Snowflake Craft Ideas Pinterest page.