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 Icicle Star Snowflake pattern
Icicle Star has six long tapered points joined by a small hexagonal ring. Each arm also carries two short side spikes. The open center is intentional: the narrow ring around it connects the arms and needs careful support.
- Identify the hexagonal center opening
- The white hexagon is the only inner hole in the finished pattern. Keep the surrounding ring, including all six sides where the arms meet it.
- Separate side spikes from the main point
- Each arm has a long central taper and shorter projections on either side. The notches between them shape the silhouette; extending those notches into the arm can break its main spine.
- Locate the arm-to-ring joins
- Follow each arm inward until it reaches the ring. These short joins carry the long points. Check them before focusing on the more visible outside tips.
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. Cut the inner openings
Cut the small marked openings before the outside edge. An opening that reaches a folded edge can be started there; an enclosed opening needs an adult using a craft knife on a cutting mat. Support each long point while cutting; preserve the ring around the center.
4. Cut the outside silhouette
Follow the red outside contour while retaining the black paper. Support each long point while cutting; preserve the ring around the center. 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 icicle star 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 Icicle Star Snowflake
- Make the center opening with the stack supported
- Follow the inner-opening stage and the folded guide’s small tip cut. Do not make the opening larger by guessing from the full reference; it would narrow the ring on every repeated sector.
- Approach long points without pulling them
- Support the paper close to the taper and use controlled cuts along its two sides. If a tip remains attached to outside waste, finish that cut before lifting the waste away.
- Open from the ring outward
- Support the center ring, then free each arm along its length. Do not pull two neighboring icicles apart from their ends. Lift the finished piece by a supported section close to the center.
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.
Icicle Star Snowflake: common questions
Should the middle of the snowflake be solid?
No. The supplied Icicle Star has a small hexagonal opening surrounded by a retained ring. Leaving the opening uncut makes a solid-center variation, but removing the whole center disconnects the arms.
Why did all the arms separate when I opened the paper?
The center cut may have crossed the ring or an arm-to-ring join. Check the small folded tip cut against the working guide. A short overcut there repeats around the center and can affect several joins at once.
How can I display the long points without bending them?
Flatten the opened piece between clean sheets before lifting it. For a supported display, mount it on a contrasting backing. If using removable fixings, place them on broader retained areas rather than using a slender point to carry the piece.
For general fold alignment and print-size problems, see the snowflake troubleshooting guide. To try a different structure, compare the 20 paper snowflake templates.
