How to Make an Easy DIY Snowflake Out of Paper Bags

Did you know you can make giant paper bag snowflakes out of just paper bags? These huge snowflakes are a great craft for kids, coming together quickly and easily from in all sorts of beautiful patterns.

Two completed paper bag snowflake. One in brown and one in white.

Jump to:

Cute Craft Alert: Paper Bag Snowflakes
Supplies for Paper Bag Snowflakes
Steps to Make a Snowflake from Paper Bags
The Best Part of This Great Craft!
Hanging Your 3D Snowflakes
Craft Tips for Making Your Snowflakes
Craft Variations
FAQ
More DIY Christmas Craft Decorations
Happy Holidays!
How to Make an Easy DIY Snowflake out of Paper Bags

Cute Craft Alert: Paper Bag Snowflakes

Oh my goodness, I had fun with this one and I just know the kids are going to as well! This is a decoration you will enjoy making and displaying for Christmas and for the winter season!

Not only is it so much fun to make your own pattern, the kids will love how big they are! The snowflakes hang nicely from the ceiling and are showy, making a winter wonderland.

Do you have a place where you would like to hang a larger Christmas decoration? The finished size of these giant paper bag snowflakes is about 1 ½ feet wide!

We are gifting several snowflakes the grandkids made to a local retirement home. I highly recommend them as a craft activity for a group event.

Supplies to make paper bag snowflakes. Ribbon, hot glue, hole punch, scissors, pencil, twine and paper bags.

Supplies for Paper Bag Snowflakes

Here is a quick note about the supplies you will need to make this craft!

Paper bags- Use white paper lunch bags or brown paper bags. I used lunch bag size 10.5x5.25x3.25-inches, the 4 lb size. You can make larger or smaller snowflakes by changing bag sizes.

Hand drawing stencil on brown paper bags.

Steps to Make a Snowflake from Paper Bags

Free printable paper bag snowflake pattern

I have made a printable with six different snowflake pattern ideas on it. Free pattern found here: How to Make Easy DIY Snowflake from Paper Bags Free Pattern.

The step by step tutorial video on our YouTube channel makes this even easier. You can fiYou can find it at this link: How to Make a Simple DIY Snowflake from Paper Bags Full Length Tutorial.

Hand holding a stack of folded brown paper bags after cutting out pattern.

Draw the pattern on a paper bag

I found that using eight bags was what worked best. This makes a full and even snowflake.

Lay the first bag down in front of you with the bottom fold closest to you. The opening of the bag is at the top, and the flat unfolded side upward (lay each bag down in this same way).

Draw your pattern on the top of the first bag. You will use this as a template to cut the rest of the bags.

Set this bag to the side for a minute.

Hand hot gluing brown paper bags together before cutting.

Glue the paper bags together

Take another one of the bags and set it in front of you.

Take your hot glue gun and place a strip of glue down the center of the paper bag from the top to the bottom. Then place glue sideways from one side of the bag to the other along the bottom edge. You’re making an upside-down “T” with these two glue lines.

Set the next bag on top (second bag). Line up the sides in a straight line.

Make a hot glue “T” on the top bag and set the bag you drew your design on top next.

Hand unfolding the brown paper bag snowflake.

Cut out the design

Using a good scissors, cut out the design you drew on the first bag. Cut through all the three bags you have glued together.

Glue three more individual bags together. Then glue the first set of bags on top. Cut the second set of three bags using the first set as a template.

Glue the last two bags together. Glue the set of six bags on top. Then cut the last two bags using the other bags as a template.

At the end, you’ll have a stack of eight bags one on top of the other glued together and cut in the same shape.

The Best Part of This Great Craft!

Drum roll- the next step is the fun part!! It's SO FUN to open your giant snowflakes, especially the first time!

Pick up the stack of eight bags glued together. Hold the top open end of the front bag and the back bag. Gently pull them around toward each other.

This will open your snowflake into its full large shape.

Use a line of glue to hot glue the surfaces of these two bags together. I may be easier to use a Glue stick for this step. A glue stick helps avoid the heat of the hot glue when connecting the last two bags.

Hand holding the unfolded brown paper bag snowflake together.

Hanging Your 3D Snowflakes

To hang these DIY paper bag snowflakes you can use

Cut a piece of string, a piece of twine, or fishing line that’s about 8 to 12 inches long and set it to the side.

Use a hole punch to punch a hole in the top of the bag. If you don’t have a hole punch, carefully make a small hole with a scissors.

Then just take your string, go through the hole and tie the two string ends together.

Now you can hang your 3D paper snowflake! Command hooks work well for this.

Hand securing white ribbon on folded paper bags with hot glue.

Craft Tips for Making Your Snowflakes

Start with a simple design- You can make a simple snowflake with just a few little triangle cut outs, especially with young children.
Edge of bag- Remember to leave uncut areas on the sides of the paper bags so the snowflake holds together.
Don't glue all bags and then cut- Even with strong scissors I found cutting all 8 bags at once too difficult.
Position of each bag- Carefully set each bag on top with the folded edge closest to you. The flat side will be on top (folded bottom area is underneath). This makes your snowflake unfold correctly and look symmetrical.
Stapler to connect bags- Use a stapler to connect the front and back bag. Then you can remove the staples and use the easy paper bag snowflakes again next year.
Hole reinforcers- I used hole reinforcers (that are for notebook paper) on both sides of the bag around the hole I’d punched. This prevents the hole from ripping.

Completed brown paper bag snowflake with supplies near by.

Craft Variations

Here are a few variations you’re welcome to try with this craft:

Snowflake pattern ideas- Cut more intricate shapes as you cut as designs from the side of the stacked bags. This will make a more delicate looking snowflake when it’s finished.
Fairy lights- Weave fairy lights through your paper bag stars to create a festive touch to this winter decor.
Ribbon to connect bags- You can hot glue a ribbon on the last sides of the bags, fold them up, and use that to hang the bags. Or use a little hot glue on these ribbons and then peel that off after the season. Fold the bags up and use them again.
Velcro to connect bags- Use adhesive backed Velcro circles or squares to connect the front and back bags.

Hand securing a reinforcement label on a completed brown snowflake with supplies near by.

FAQ

How many bags does it take to make a paper bag snowflake?

This tutorial uses 8 paper bags to make a large snowflake. This amount holds the shape well, without becoming too cumbersome to cut!

How do you make large paper snowflake decorations?

Turn some paper bags into beautiful large snowflakes with this tutorial! Then simply choose your method for hanging them up and display as many as you'd like. Perfect for holiday parties or DIY home decorations!

What is the best glue for paper bag snowflakes?

I find that hot glue works the best for making paper bag snowflakes, as it cools and connects the bags quickly. The down side is the heat, which can be more dangerous for kids. A Tacky Glue for crafts would be my second choice.

More DIY Christmas Craft Decorations

Come to Welcome To Nana's for more Christmas craft ideas for kids. These easy DIY decorations will keep the crafting fun going!

Happy Holidays!

I hope you’re getting excited about the upcoming holiday season! Perhaps having these simple decorations will make things seem even more festive for you.

Try this craft, leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.