Imagine a super-cold drop of water in the sky. The drop meets a bit of pollen or dust and freezes onto it. This forms a tiny ice crystal. As the crystal falls, water vapor freezes onto it, growing the shape. This is what we call a snowflake!

All snowflakes have six sides, but no two look exactly alike. That’s because the shape changes depending on the temperature and the path of the crystal’s fall. You can use yarn to make a snowflake as unique unique : unlike any other; special and special as you! Read on for the warm and fuzzy craft.

What You’ll Need
• White, gray, or light blue yarn
• Cardboard (any thickness)
• Pencil or pen
• Scissors
• Tape

Steps
1. Get a piece of cardboard. It can be thick like a mailing box or thin like a cereal box. Draw a vertical vertical : up-and-down line about 4 inches (10 cm) long on the cardboard. You can draw a longer line for a bigger snowflake or a shorter line for a smaller snowflake. Then, draw a horizontal horizontal : sideways; not up-and-down line going across the center of your first line. Draw two more going diagonally diagonally : crossways; at an angle in both directions. This will create a star shape.

2. Thicken up your snowflake “arms” by putting two more lines on each side of the lines you drew. For each arm, connect all three lines at the ends. This will make your lines into rectangles. It will also make the center of your snowflake thicker.

3. Once you like the shape of your snowflake, have an adult help you cut it out.

4. Tape the end of your yarn to the center of your snowflake. Wrap the yarn all the way up the closest snowflake arm. Then wrap the yarn all the way back down the same arm. Go to the next arm and do the same thing. Continue this for all the arms.

5. When the branches are done, it’s time to cover the middle of the snowflake. Wrap the yarn in between each branch over and over until there’s no cardboard showing.

6. Once the cardboard is covered, cut the string. Tuck the end under the yarn wrapped around the middle of the snowflake. You could also choose to glue the end of the yarn down.

7. Optional: You can make your snowflake into a Christmas tree ornament. Cut off a long strand of yarn. Tie it around the snowflake on one end and tie a loop on the other end.

8. Make more snowflakes! Remember, each snowflake is one of a kind. So think up different sizes and shapes.

Updated December 18, 2023, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
By Amanda Salazar