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 Plum Blossom Snowflake pattern
Plum Blossom combines six five-petal flowers with a pair of small buds on each branch. Each large flower has a round center opening. The design depends on the short flower necks and bud stems as much as on the rounded petal outlines.
- Separate petals from the center opening
- The five rounded lobes belong to one connected flower. Its small round middle is removed, while the paper around that opening keeps all five petals together.
- Find the neck below each flower
- The large blossom joins its long branch through a short neck. Follow that connection before cutting around the lowest petals; the branch must not be trimmed away as part of the outside waste.
- Locate both bud stems
- Each branch has one small bud on either side. The short angled stems connecting those buds are retained paper. Keep their inside joins distinct from the nearby open spaces between branches.
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. Cut blossom center holes first, then preserve the blossom necks and bud joins.
4. Cut the outside silhouette
Follow the red outside contour while retaining the black paper. Cut blossom center holes first, then preserve the blossom necks and bud joins. 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 plum blossom 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 Plum Blossom Snowflake
- Finish blossom centers before outer petals
- Cut the marked center openings while the outer paper still supports the flowers. Follow the folded work unit; an opening visible as a full circle in the finished piece may meet a fold in the stack.
- Turn through the petal valleys gently
- Support the flower as you follow one rounded lobe into the next. Stop at the printed valley depth instead of sharpening it with an extra slit toward the center opening.
- Release the buds without narrowing their stems
- Use small controlled cuts around each bud and its branch junction. When unfolding, support the main branch and ease the buds free; do not pull them sideways as handles.
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.
Plum Blossom Snowflake: common questions
Why does one petal detach even though the branch is intact?
A valley between petals may have been extended to the center opening. The flower needs a continuous band of paper around that hole. Keep the shallow valleys shown in the guide instead of cutting separate petals.
Can I leave the flower centers solid?
Yes, for a practice variation. Omitting the small center openings retains more paper while preserving the outside flower silhouette. Keep the blossom necks and bud stems as drawn; solid centers do not protect those separate connections from overcutting.
Why are the buds disappearing when I remove outside waste?
Check whether a cut crossed a short bud stem or whether the bud was still attached to the waste and pulled away with it. Release the marked contour fully while supporting the branch, then remove the waste without tugging on the bud.
For general fold alignment and print-size problems, see the snowflake troubleshooting guide. To try a different structure, compare the 20 paper snowflake templates.
