19 nov. 2025

Crafting Magic: How to Make Paper Snowflakes

Designer: Marcia Izabel Marchiori

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Level: Beginner

This year I decided to bring a soft vintage feel into the holiday decorating, and I’m starting with something very simple and very charming: snowflakes made from old book pages. These handmade ornaments look beautiful anywhere in the house. You can hang them in windows, on the Christmas tree, on door knobs, or even use them as gift toppers. And the best part is that they can keep decorating your home long after the holidays are over. They feel cozy and wintery, and they stay lovely all season long.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make beautiful snowflake shapes. They’re easy, relaxing to create, and once you learn the basic folds, the possibilities are endless… just like real snowflakes ❄️.

I also want to share something important. I love books, and I respect the value they carry. I would never take apart a book that still has a purpose. But these days it’s very common to find very old, damaged, or incomplete books that are no longer used for reading. Thrift stores often have shelves of them, and some libraries even donate books that are too worn to keep in circulation. Turning these pages into handmade ornaments gives them a sweet second life and a new purpose inside your home ☺️
So gather your materials, choose a book that’s ready for a fresh start, and let’s begin!

Tools & Supplies Needed

• OLFA FCM-12x17 12" x 17" Folding Cutting Mat

• OLFA 5-Inch SCS-4 Precision Appliqué Scissors

• OLFA QR-1x12 1" x 12" Frosted Acrylic Ruler

• OLFA AK-4 Cushion Grip Art Knife paired with KB4-R/5 Curved Carving Art Blade

• Old book pages - assorted sizes

• Cardstock (or simple copy paper) for template

• Pencil, eraser, and masking tape

• Double-sided adhesive tape

• Hot glue gun

• Twine

• Buttons, approximately 1 inch in diameter

• Optional: Glitter, flat brush, and white glue

Instructions
Below you’ll find three different snowflake styles you can create. They are simple, relaxing, and perfect for any cozy winter day.

❄️ Snowflake 1

For this first snowflake you’ll need six book pages.

Form the tubes

- Take one book page and fold it lengthwise in three parts with the ratio appx. 1/4 - 1/2 1/4, to create a tube shape, as shown below:

- Seal the ends with double-sided tape, then press it flat.

- Fold the tube in half, then apply a strip of adhesive (hot glue or tape) from the center to one edge, lengthwise. Fold the tube in half again and press to secure it.

Repeat until you have six folded tubes.

Create a template

- Trace the folded tube shape onto cardstock.

- Draw any edge design or pattern you like. Making a template will help keep all six shapes identical. Using either OLFA scissors or art knife, cut out templates.

- Here are a few examples of designs you can use:

- Trace your template onto each folded tube. Then, cut the shape using your OLFA scissors.

- Assemble the snowflake

- Apply adhesive in the middle of each folded piece and attach them one by one.

- Before closing the last piece, insert a loop of yarn or twine for hanging.

- Attach the final piece to complete the snowflake, and your first snowflake is ready!

❄️ Snowflake 2

You’ll need about five pages, and you can cut them all at once to save time.

Prepare the strips

- On the OLFA cutting mat, use your ruler and art knife to trim the page white edges from five stacked book pages.

- With OLFA mat, ruler and art knife, cut equal strips about 1 inch wide (the number of strips depends on your page size) using your mat as a guide, and ruler and art knife.

Shape each strip

- When folding each strip in half, adhere only the two loose ends together, with a double sided tape. Do NOT press the fold completely flat — you want a nice gentle curve on the opposite side. The attached glued ends form the center; the curved ends form the outside points.

Assemble

- Apply the tape horizontally again, along the glued side to join the folded strips together, working in small groups of five to make the process easier.
Attach all four sets together using hot glue at the base of each set (not the curled side). For this step, it’s very important to apply a thin line of glue ONLY in the very center of the ornament, keeping the sets loose between each other, as shown below.

- Before attaching the final set, insert a loop of twine for hanging.

- To finish, add a tiny dot of hot glue near the curled end of each set to secure everything in place and keep the ornament stable.

- Using hot glue, add a button to the center for extra charm. And Snowflake 2 is done!

- Optional: If you’d like a bit of sparkle, add glitter for a magical touch! ✨ Right before attaching the button, pour a little glitter onto a sheet of paper, then use a brush to apply a thin layer of white glue to the edges of your snowflake. Gently press the glued edges into the glitter. Let it dry, add the button and enjoy the shimmer!

❄️ Snowflake 3

This one uses seven book pages.

Cut the triangle

- Fold each of the seven book pages in half lengthwise.

- Using your OLFA mat, ruler, and art knife, cut each folded page into a triangle shape as shown below.

Create the concertina fold

- Open the triangle and start folding it accordion-style from bottom to top, keeping your folds about ½ inch apart. I like to begin by folding the first inch (using the mat as a guide), then continue the ½ inch zigzag folds from there.

Assemble the piece

- Fold the concertina in half, gluing the long sides together with hot glue or double-sided tape.

Repeat until you have seven pieces.

Assemble the snowflake

- Using hot glue, attach all seven sections together to form a circle. For this step, apply glue only about 1 inch up from the base of each piece.

- Before attaching the very last piece, insert your hanging string.
Attach a button in the center using hot glue, and your third snowflake is ready!

I hope you have fun making lots of these! I’d love to see your finished ornaments.
Tag me @marciabel and @OLFA_craft so we can admire your cozy snowflakes ❄️