If you have been looking for the SVG and SCUT patterns, the links below have been restored.

Note:  If you find this pattern interesting, I recommend that you buy the book Kirigami by Jeffrey Rutzky from Barnes and Noble.  It’s our original source for this project and an excellent introduction to an interesting craft that is tons of fun to do as a family.

I’ve taken the 3D kirigami snowflake pattern that we’ve talked about a few times on our blog, and I’ve created a pattern that can be used in a Cricut expression to make the cuts needed for the pattern out of 12×12 sheets of scrapbook paper. Below, I’ve posted the pattern so that you can make the snowflakes yourself if you have a Cricut Expression and Sure-Cuts-A-Lot.

Here is the original SVG file.  It took a lot of work to build this up in a format that Sure-Cuts-A-Lot and the Cricut can successfully use.  I owe many thanks to the people on the SCAL forums for helping me figure it out.  That being said, there are some small improvements that could be made to the SVG file if you so inclined.  After seeing the finished project, though, I’m convinced that the issues are small enough to ignore.

Here is the same file pre-positioned for use in SCAL.  Each snowflake takes six squares of paper to make, and this pattern yields 4 6×6 squares out of a piece of scrapbook pattern.  Positioning the pattern is important, so I recommend that you use the .scut file rather than start from scratch.

Here’s how to build the snowflake:

  • It takes 6 of the finshed cut squares to make a snowflake, so each snowflake uses one and a half pieces of paper.  For this reason, it’s best to make the snowflakes in groups of two.
  • Cut the pattern on a 12×12 sheet of paper.  Care should be taken when putting the paper on the mat in order to keep the squares shaped correctly.  That being said, it will be hard to tell in the finished product if the shapes are exactly the same so don’t panic.  12×12 paper often seems to not be exactly 12×12, so do the best you can.
  • Separate the 4 cut squares by cutting them apart at the edges where the big central cross is cut (cut locations marked in red below).  The pattern doesn’t do this automatically because the Cricut maintains a half-inch safe zone around the edge of the paper where it won’t cut.

drawing-2

  • Once you’ve accumulated 6 squares, you can start building the individual units.  Start by taking the two innermost flaps of one square and folding them over so that they tounch and make a loop.  I normally fold this so that the white side of the paper is exposed — the allows the last flaps to be folded so that the patterned side is exposed, but it’s up to you.  Tape or glue the loop to hold it in place.
  • Now turn the paper over, then take the next set of flaps and fold them together to make another loop.  Again, use tape or glue to secure the loop.  Repeat this process for the remaining pair of flaps, making sure to fold each loop the opposite way as the previous one.  When you finish a single unit, it should look like this:

sfunit

  • Once you’ve assembled 6 units, assemble them into the snowflake shape by stapling (or gluing, if you have lots of time to spare) all six of the units together at one end.  This will look best if you arrange them so that the patterned side of the paper is  on the same side of each of the units at the point where you attach them together.
  • Using a small piece of tape, secure each of the units to its neighbors at the point where the outer most loops touch.  This pulls the snowflake into a fuller shape.  The final product is shown below.  Note that you can see the place where I’ve stapled all of the units together in the middle.

sffinal

Give it a try!  The snowflakes are quick and fun to make, and kids love to do them too.

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