How to Cut Better Paper Snowflakes

An accurate snowflake has six points, or six lines of symmetry. You can cut a piece of paper and transform it into a lovely winter decoration that models the real thing. Or, use aluminum foil for a pretty decoration that catches the light.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper
• Scissors

1. Fold a piece of paper in half. With the fold at the top, put the two top corners together and make a crease where the exact middle is. Then, unfold the corners back down.

2. Bring the top-right corner toward the middle and fold it to divide the paper into three equal triangular sections. Make a firm crease. Bring the top-left corner down so it lines up with the angled fold on the right. Now your paper should look like a triangle with two extra points sticking out the bottom.

3. Put the folded sides together and fold the piece in half. You have a narrower triangle with a extra point sticking out the bottom. Cut off the uneven bottom so all the folded sections are the same size.

4. Begin by cutting the point off at an angle. This gives your snowflake a star in the center. Then cut small shapes out from both the folded sides of the paper.

5. Shape the outer edge of the snowflake by cutting along the open bottom. Now, open your snowflake up. If you think there are still too many large white areas, fold it back up and cut out a bit more.

Tips & Warnings

• Thin paper is easier to fold and cut into snowflakes.
• The more cuts you make, the lacier the snowflake.
• Cut in from the folded sides, but be careful not to cut either folded edge completely or your snowflake will fall apart.

Resources

• For a new twist, try an online snowflake generator.