How to Make 6-Pointed Paper Snowflakes

This step by step guide will teach you how to make SIX pointed paper snowflakes. Most people make (and most how-tos teach) snowflakes with four or eight points. Real snowflakes in nature form with six points (or occasionally three if they formed weird) so I choose to make my own with six points. I taught myself this technique in high school and have been making paper snowflakes around Christmas time ever since.

All you will need for this is paper and scissors. Some people like to use fancy paper, but I use plain white copy paper because somehow the simplicity of white is more beautiful to me.

If you want to view a gallery of my snowflakes, see me on Flickr: Paper Snowflake Gallery.

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Step 1: Step 1

First, begin with a square piece of copy paper. I usually make two snowflakes for every 8.5"x11" piece of paper, so I first cut the paper in half, and then make a square from each half. This makes a snowflake about 5" across. If you're just learning to make snowflakes, using a full piece of paper for each snowflake may be easier to practice with.

You can make a square from a rectangular piece of paper simply by folding one corner down to form an isosceles triangle (like the one in the next step) and trimming off the excess paper.

Comments

[Olympus Architect]

Annabeth doesn't get confused. Just saying. ;)

[annabeth of camp half-blood]

how do you imagine a triangle in thirds i am very confused.

[ReadsInTrees]

I have added a second picture to hopefully make this step easier to understand.

[tphillips14]

Thank you so much for posting and sharing this!! We are making these as a Girl Scout project to send to the children at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

[ReadsInTrees]

I also hosted a paper snowflake workshop at my local library to make snowflakes to send to Sandy Hook. It was very last minute, but we still had over 50 people show up (lots of kids), we made 160 snowflakes, and I think a few people left with a new skill up their sleeve.

[Throckmorzog]

Great instructions and beautiful scissor work!! Spent Christmas eve making these with nieces and nephews. Thank you, my windows now look spectacular at almost no cost, and we had so much fun. : )

[ReadsInTrees]

Glad that everyone had fun! I'd love to see pictures of your windows!

[sturner18]

Thanks so much for this, just putting finishing touches on a Santa Sack and wanted to add snowflakes, couldnt quite remember how to do this. Worked Fab, great instructions and used White Fabric filling to give a a realistic feel. Thanks Again.

[yongeeks]

Thank you. I really enjoyed making these!

[mhudson11]

Awesome! Thank you!

[PaganRaven]

I have to tell you that your snowflakes are gorgeous! I've tried all my life to do this and they never look quite as good. I know you posted this a year ago, and I'm a late starter on Instructables (totally addicted now) but I hope at some point you do read this. Merry Yule and a warm winter Solstice!!

[ReadsInTrees]

Thank you! I hope my instructions and tips help you make beautiful snowflakes of your own! Happy Solstice!

[Dejaykomm]

My first attempts at the 6 point snowflake. :-) comments appreciated. :-)

[amerari]

beautiful

[Dejaykomm]

:-) Thankyou.

[ReadsInTrees]

Nice job! I hope my instructions and tips were helpful.

[Dejaykomm]

it was your tutoring and design styles that led the way. :-)

[Swirlysmile]

Beautiful!

[Dejaykomm]

:-) Thankyou!!

[reganbella]

I think I folded mine wrong. Instead of turning out circular, like a snowflake would be, mine turned out rectangular. Yours are great though!!! They look so intricate!

[karmar22]

I must be really stupid because mine turned out completely hollow and looked nothing like a snowflake!

[pammybear]

karmar22 - I did exactly the same thing. I found out I was cutting the wrong piece. I thought I was supposed to cut the top part, because that's what it looks like in the picture, but if you cut the bottom plain triangle that is cut off, it comes out really nice.

[Dr.Bill]

Thank You Thank You My Wife Loves Me Again !
Mele Kalikimaka and Houoli Maka Hiki Hou !
Aloha !

[MommasArtMess]

Good job on the directions! I teach art and include both this method (which my mom shared when I was five or six years old) and one that uses a circle. I love sharing the patterns with kids and letting them feel superior that their flakes are *correct* multiples of three.

[Imjetta]

Ohhhhh dreamy! These are so much prettier than Martha Stewarts! Thank you!

[ReadsInTrees]

Haha, thanks! You know it does irk me a little that when you Google "How To Make Paper Snowflakes" my how-to shows up at #3 and HERS is at #2. Argh.

[dangjena]

This was amazing! Super instructions and beautiful work. Well done, friend.

[jbrecken]

I decorated my cubicle one year with Post-It notes transformed into snowflakes using more or less this technique. The only difference is that with the smaller paper there wasn't room for too many cuts.

[maggieelrod]

just wanted to thank you for your time to go into such detail to explain how to do this. Merry Christmas!
Maggie Elrod

[ReadsInTrees]

You're welcome! I hope you're having fun making snowflakes!

[designteach]

Excellent instructions! Enjoyed making these in class today!

[sconnaire618]

I love this - so does my 9 year-old. Our window is well on it's way to a winter wonderland! Thank you for taking the time to instruct!

[Swirlysmile]

This is a GREAT instructable. thank you! I'd forgotten how to fold. Now I just need to be more adventurous in my cuts. I predict a snow day in my house during winter school break for my daughter. :D

[daguilar4]

Made mine thanks for this I loved it , posted on my facebook

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/392244_2187605741185_1578316978_31622056_1266856817_n.jpg

[Dejaykomm]

Best snowflake ins'ble I have seen! Made 6 already! Think I am gonna need more paper!! :-)

[dwirsz]

First attempt

[ReadsInTrees]

Excellent for a first attempt. Must've had a good teacher!

[dwirsz]

Very nice instruction guide. Very easy to follow. I have been making other kinds of snow flakes for years, but this is my first attempt at a 6 pointer. Thought I would upload a pic of my first attempt at your six point style... Let me know what you think.

[lgrochowsky]

I love your directions and that is a beautiful snowflake.

[ReadsInTrees]

If you guys liked this one, feel free to browse my gallery of snowflakes on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmdsnowflakes/sets/