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 Rounded Petal Snowflake pattern
Rounded Petal gives you six broad loops around teardrop-shaped openings. It is a good next step after an open branch design because the inner cuts and the outer curves must work together: the paper between them is what keeps each petal whole.
- Locate the teardrop point
- Each inner opening narrows toward the outer end of its petal. Distinguish this small inner point from the much broader rounded outside edge; cutting between them would open the petal loop.
- Trace the petal rim
- Follow the black border around each white opening. Its sides and outer cap belong to one connected petal. Leave the complete rim instead of treating the opening as a route to the outside.
- Find the root below the opening
- The petal joins the central hub through a short broad root. The lower end of the teardrop must stop above this join. Do not lengthen the opening toward the center.
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 the teardrop openings first and leave the broad petal roots joined.
4. Cut the outside silhouette
Follow the red outside contour while retaining the black paper. Cut the teardrop openings first and leave the broad petal roots joined. 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 rounded petal 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 Rounded Petal Snowflake
- Finish the opening while the margin supports it
- Use the inner-cut stage before releasing the rounded outside contour. Follow the opening shown on the folded guide; a shape meeting the fold expands into its mirrored partner when opened.
- Turn the paper through the outside curve
- Make short, controlled cuts while turning the stack. Avoid a long straight shortcut across the rounded edge, which can approach the inner opening and leave a thin section of rim.
- Lift a petal by its broad root
- During unfolding, support the paper beneath the root and separate the layers along the curve. Do not hook a finger through the teardrop and pull: that puts the load on the narrowest part of the loop.
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.
Rounded Petal Snowflake: common questions
Do I draw a complete teardrop on the folded wedge?
Trace only the cut contour printed on the folded guide. The guide contains the portion needed for the twelve-layer fold; the full teardrop appears after opening. Drawing the entire unfolded opening onto the wedge would remove too much paper.
Why did one petal become an open C shape?
An inner cut has met the outer cut, breaking the rim. Check whether the teardrop point or a rounded side was enlarged. On a fresh sheet, follow the original inner contour and preserve the black cap and side borders.
My petal curves look angular. Should I trim them after opening?
First check the paper connections. Small uneven curves are easier to keep than a damaged rim. If you make a light correction on one opened layer, support it flat and stay outside the retained border; repeated trimming can make the six petals noticeably different.
For general fold alignment and print-size problems, see the snowflake troubleshooting guide. To try a different structure, compare the 20 paper snowflake templates.
