HOW TO: Cut Paper Snowflakes
Brenda LOVES Christmas. Every year she’d decorate the apartment with her paper snowflakes. She would meticulously hang these perfectly cut creations with white sewing thread all over the apartment. It felt like walking into a winter wonderland every time I’d come home.
Her snowflakes are as popular as her food. Throughout the year Brenda would have friends come to the apartment to learn how to make Brenda Cookies and Brenda Brownies. November and December friends would come over for snowflake cutting parties. And guess what? Everyone was able to create stunning snowflakes. It really is a simple and forgiving process!
The first section is a short instructional guide. If you need more instructions, scroll to the Brenda’s Tips section. Included at the very bottom, in the Window to B’s Kitchen… section, is a YouTube video, for all of us visual learners (:
Happy Snowflaking!
HOW TO: Cut Paper Snowflakes
What you’ll need:
Paper: Regular printer paper (20 pound and bright white)
Scissors: Fiskars (old sewing scissors) or others with a strong, sharp blade
Step 1: Folding
Sailboat fold (360 / 2 = 180 degrees)
House fold (180 / 2 = 90 degrees)
Accordion fold in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees)
Flip and fold the other side in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees)
Find the shortest edge
Trim to the shortest edge
Step 2: Cutting
The goal is to create negative white space. It is necessary to keep enough paper to maintain structural integrity, but remove enough to achieve the ethereal illusion of snow.
Here’s how:
Use the part of the blade that is near the hinge for control.
Variations in size and shape of cuts allow for more attractive snowflakes.
Start with large cuts. The large cuts will act as the template for deleting paper (aka that negative white space mentioned).
Add small, clean cuts which will develop like facets of the crystals found in real snowflakes.
And finish up with “snips” - small bites of paper removed to add dimension and create a unique paper snowflake. Great for adding character to the crisp cuts already made.
Step 3: Pressing
Open carefully and back-fold each crease. Press with a hot, dry iron between two sheets of paper. Tie white thread to one tip and hang from the ceiling or from windowsills.
Brenda’s Tips:
What you’ll need:
Paper: Regular printer paper (20 pound and bright white)
Other paper is fine, but the heavier types are difficult to fold and even harder (on your hands) to cut through. Tissue paper is very easy to fold but doesn’t have the strength to hang without flopping.
Scissors: Fiskars (old sewing scissors) or others with a strong, sharp blade
Use scissors that comfortably fit your hand. Make sure those Fiskars are retired from fabric use.
Step 1: Folding
Real snowflakes generally have six points. They are not perfectly symmetrical, but usually very close. To create this shape from a piece of paper, the following formula may help: A circle has 360 degrees, to create six points, there need to be twelve sections. 360 degrees / 12 sections = 30 degrees per section. Therefore the “wedge” created when folding the paper will fit exactly 30 degrees. If you have access to a cutting mat, it generally has the 30/45/60 degree angles marked.
Sailboat fold (360 / 2 = 180 degrees): Bring the right top corner diagonally down, aligning the top edge perfectly with the left edge of paper. Use your fingertip (not nail) to firmly press the crease created. You’ve created a sailboat.
House fold (180 / 2 = 90 degrees): Bring the left top corner diagonally down toward the right edge, aligning the left (+ former top) edge with the former right edge of the paper. Use your fingertip to firmly press the crease created. You’ve created the house.
Fold in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees): Lift the “roof” of the “house,” one edge will be hinged. Working with the lifted section, fold the “roof” in equal thirds
The final snowflake will have 12 equal sections, each a 30 degree angle.
Accordion fold - the purpose of folding in this manner is to keep the size of the angle on each of your 12 triangles as equal as possible.
Keep the tip sharp - this also helps keep the angles equal, which results in a symmetrical final snowflake.
Flip and fold the other side in thirds, following the same lines and logic. Once again, it is important to align the tip and the sides of the paper as you fold, precision determines success.
Folding is complete. Hold the tip in your hand. Looking at the opposite end, find the shortest edge. This paper edge determines the size of your snowflake.
Trim to the shortest edge. Always make this your first cut or you may forget about the short edge and regret it later.
The excess paper just trimmed can be used for tiny flakes.
You’re ready to cut!
Step 2: Cutting
The goal is to create negative white space. It is necessary to keep enough paper to maintain structural integrity, but remove enough to achieve the ethereal illusion of snow.
Note: it will be tempting to remove the tip, but let it be. The tip left intact will maintain the structural integrity of the snowflake and enhance it’s ability to hang. Not only that, but real snowflakes generally have ice at their centers.
Use the part of the blade that is near the hinge for control. This allows for clean cuts, and will make effective cuts complete through all layers.
Remember: variations in size and shape of cuts allow for more attractive snowflakes.
Start with large cuts. Just as the step of trimming to the shortest edge limits your snowflake, the large cuts will act as the template deleting paper (aka that negative white space mentioned). Generally plan the following large cuts:
One near the tip
One on the opposite edge
One shaping the top edge, most commonly shortening one of the edges. This will create the outer border of your final snowflake.
Add small, detailed cuts that will develop like facets of the crystals found in real snowflakes. Strategy for these cuts:
One or two near the tip
A series of cuts along both edges
One or two that are used to enhance the top edge
And finish up with “snips” - small bites of paper removed to add dimension and create a unique paper snowflake. Some possibilities:
Clip bits out to shape the larger cuts
Create a “pinked” edge
“V” or “X” clips
Tiny diamonds or slits
Remember throughout: repeating patterns create symmetry
Long story short: Fold . . . . Fold . . . . Cut edge . . . . Large cuts . . . . Detail cuts . . . . Snips . . . . Unfold
Step 3: Pressing
And the often over-looked step – press with a hot iron! Don’t be afraid to throw it away if you don’t like it! But first, back-fold each crease and press the finished snowflake with a hot, dry iron. The heat from the iron will remove the folds and crisp the paper, almost like adding starch to fabric.
Tie white thread to one tip and hang from the ceiling or from windowsills. The snowflakes can then be hung from the ceiling using white thread or taped to windows for display.
Practice and practice!
Each year Brenda will cut a series of new paper snowflakes. For years she taught her nieces and nephews to cut paper snowflakes. When Brenda’s little sister was getting married she requested paper snowflakes as the decoration for her DIY open house. Brenda cut somewhere between 200 and 300 snowflakes for that. No two were the same! These days, she continues to hang paper snowflakes from the ceiling and now uses the tiny ones for decorating the family Christmas tree.
Window to B’s Kitchen…
Step 1: Folding
Step 2: Cutting
Step 3: Ironing
YouTube Tutorial
In 2013, in NYC, our good friend (and neighbor at the time) Allison created this YouTube tutorial for making Brenda Snowflakes.
