Know what stays. Know what goes.
The cutting guide shows the folded 30-degree working wedge. Read the retained black paper and marked waste together; an opening in the unfolded picture may meet a folded edge in this guide.
Preserve narrow connections between shapes. Loose shapes need a backing sheet or separate placement; the drawing has not been physically tested for connectivity.
Print the right guide for this snowflake
Choose A4 or US Letter to match the paper loaded in your printer. Print at 100% / Actual size, turn off Fit to page and browser headers and footers, then measure the 50 mm calibration line. If it is not exactly 50 mm, correct the print settings before tracing.
- Page 1 — unfolded reference and round blank. Cut the 180 mm circle shown on the first page. A4 and Letter use the same design size; the page margins differ.
- Page 2 — folding sequence. Follow the half thirds half sequence. Keep the original center as the pointed end.
- Page 3 — full-size working wedge. Match the point and both straight fold edges to your folded paper before tracing. This is the sheet to use for folded cutting.
- Page 4 — cutting and opening order. Keep these step illustrations beside you; they are not full-size tracing patterns.
The SVG and PNG show the unfolded artwork. Use the PDF working wedge for folded paper. A small screen preview or a resized image is not a substitute for the calibrated sheet. SVG cutting-machine compatibility has not been tested.
Choose paper and tools for this pattern
Use thin paper that remains manageable when folded into twelve layers. Test a small folded scrap with your scissors before tracing the whole design. Thick card or slippery stacked sheets can make fine turns harder; use one circle per trial and stop if you have to force the tool.
The openings in this folded working guide meet an edge. Begin those cuts from the indicated edge instead of piercing through a retained stem. Small scissors may suit the accessible contours, but check the folded thickness and your ability to turn the paper first. A ruler checks the print scale; a light pencil or low-tack tape helps transfer the guide without shifting the layers.
Difficulty and time are planning estimates, not measured cutting results. Make one trial before choosing quantities or timing for a class. The snowflake materials guide explains how to prepare the paper and tools.
Read the Antler Branch Snowflake pattern
Antler Branch is an open outline with several changes of direction along each fork. It has no enclosed holes, but its small branch junctions need careful stops and turns. The intentionally unequal fork lengths distinguish it from the straighter Pine Branch design.
- Trace each main branch to the hub
- The long central branch remains solid from the tip to the middle. Its smaller forks grow from this route; do not treat the spaces on opposite sides as one continuous cut through the trunk.
- Identify the secondary forks
- Some side branches turn and divide again. Find those small junctions on the working guide before cutting so you can follow their gaps without removing a short projecting twig.
- Expect unequal fork lengths
- The side shoots have different lengths and angles by design. Compare equivalent forks on separate main arms, not every twig within one arm, when checking the finished snowflake.
Explore this pattern in the snowflake maker · Follow the six-point folding tutorial
Fold and cut your six-point snowflake
Circle paper • 30-degree sector • 12 layers
Start with a 180 mm circle. Fold in half, fold the semicircle in thirds to make a 60-degree sector, then fold that sector in half. The final 30-degree wedge has 12 layers; its pointed tip is the original paper center.
Start with the round blank on PDF page 1. The step illustrations show the sequence; use page 3 for tracing at actual size. Keep supporting paper until the outside-cutting step.
1. Prepare the circle
Print the matching PDF at 100% and check the 50 mm line. Cut a 180 mm circle from thin paper using the gray outline on page 1. Mark its center lightly; it will become the pointed end of every fold.
2. Fold to a 30-degree wedge
Fold the circle in half. Divide the semicircle into three equal 60-degree sectors and fold both sides inward. Fold the resulting 60-degree stack in half once more. Keep all 12 layers aligned; the rounded edge is away from the center. Align the center tip and both folded edges with the full-size guide on PDF page 3, then trace its cutting contours.
3. Check the retained connections
This design has no enclosed holes to cut at this stage. Check the black center and branch connections against your traced guide. Leave the paper intact, then continue to the outside contour in step 4.
4. Cut the outside silhouette
Follow the red outside contour while retaining the black paper. Follow the gaps between forks; never cut across the main branch. Blue dashed marks locate folded edges; do not cut along them. Support the stack and turn the paper for corners.
5. Open the layers gently
Separate the last fold first, then open the thirds and finally the semicircle. Support the center and release each branch without pulling on its tip. The 30-degree cut unit repeats by reflection to make six matching arms.
6. Flatten and display
Lay antler branch snowflake between clean sheets under a book. Use small removable tape tabs on broad areas for a window display, or mount it flat on a contrasting card. Save the SVG if you want to edit the geometry.
Print the PDF at 100% or Actual size. Its 50 mm check line must measure 50 mm. The full circle and folded guide use the same scale. Difficulty and time are planning estimates; this design has not been physically trial-cut.
Use the matching PDF working wedge for tracing; the step pictures are illustrations. A4 is the default; the Letter download uses a Letter sheet. Try a scrap first to check fragile bridges.
Cutting checks for Antler Branch Snowflake
- Pause at every change of direction
- Cut one segment of a fork gap, stop, then turn the paper to approach the next. Avoid one sweeping cut through the corner: that can narrow the black junction holding two shoots together.
- Hold behind the active fork
- Support the folded main branch near the part you are cutting. As the outside waste loosens, keep finished tips clear of the blades instead of folding them aside to create a handhold.
- Release the smallest shoots patiently
- Open the layers on a flat surface and inspect the narrow fork gaps. If a shoot catches, look for an uncut corner and separate it with support; pulling from the outer tip can tear its junction.
If the layers stop lining up, pause before making another cut. Compare the folded tip and edges with PDF page 3. If a piece has already detached, a backing can hold it for display, but it will no longer be a connected paper cut.
Antler Branch Snowflake: common questions
Why is Antler Branch more involved than Pine Branch?
Both have open-edge cuts, but Antler Branch adds bends and secondary forks. Those extra corners require more stops and paper turns. The difficulty label is a planning estimate; test how comfortably your paper and tools handle the smallest junctions.
Do I need a hole at the center of this design?
No. The supplied center is solid and holds all six main branches. Do not trim off the pointed end of the folded wedge to create a center hole; that would remove paper intended to connect the arms.
Should I trim the short forks to make all branches match?
The different fork lengths are intentional. Check the full reference and compare matching positions around the six main arms. Trimming every shoot to a uniform length would remove the antler-like structure and may shorten an important junction.
For general fold alignment and print-size problems, see the snowflake troubleshooting guide. To try a different structure, compare the 20 paper snowflake templates.
