A Paper Snowflake Out of Paper Bags? Really?
Yes, you can make large paper bag snowflakes out of paper bags! They are so simple and yet so beautiful.
This is a decoration you will enjoy making and displaying for Christmas and for the winter season! They hang nicely from the ceiling and are very showy.
Do you have a place where you would like to hang a larger Christmas decoration? Maybe in your window, office, or a school room? The finished size of these giant paper bag snowflakes is about 1 ½ feet wide!
Looking for a fun craft to make with the kids in your life? This is it!!
These paper bag snowflakes go together quickly and easily. They are made from lunch bags, and you can use either brown paper bags or the white paper bags. Your choice!
Snowflake Pattern Ideas
Free printable snowflake pattern
I have made a printable with snowflake pattern ideas that you can use. There are six different patterns there and I know you will come up with many more of your own!
Free pattern found here: How to Make Easy DIY Snowflake from Paper Bags Free Pattern.
The more intricate shapes you cut as designs, the more delicate the snowflake will look when it’s finished.
To make it even easier there is a step by step tutorial video on our YouTube channel found at this link: How to Make an Easy DIY Snowflake Out of Paper Bags Full Length Tutorial.
Start with a simple design
You can do something very simple with just a few little triangle cut outs. Or you can try different designs and create effects in the snowflake shape as you cut out more complicated or small shapes from the side of the stacked bags.
I would suggest starting with something simple, especially if you’re doing this with young children (like cutting triangles out of the side of the bag). You can graduate to something more complicated using different shapes after you’ve made one that’s easy first.
Paper bags for the snowflake
The white paper lunch bags look more like a white snowflake, but the brown paper bag snowflakes look very nice as well.
The more bags that you use, the fuller the snowflake will be. 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 at the top, and the flat unfolded side upward.
Draw the pattern on a paper bag
You can either freehand draw the pattern on the first bag or you can try enlarging this pattern template to a size that would fit on the side of the bag.
Go ahead and draw your pattern on the top of the first bag. Remember that you need to leave uncut areas on the sides of the bags so the snowflake holds together. So draw a design that doesn't cut off the entire side of the paper bag.
You will use this as a template to cut the rest of the bags.
Set this bag to the side for a minute.
Tip: Some people glue all of the bags together and try cutting through the entire stack of bags at once. Even with strong scissors I found that much too difficult. I just cut the bags 2-3 at a time as I layer them up and glue them together.
Glue the paper bags together
Take one of the bags and set it in front of you with the folded bottom edge closest to you and the flat unfolded side upward.
Take your hot glue gun and place a strip of glue down the center of the bag (from the top of the paper bag to the bottom of the bag) and then sideways from one side 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), and they will be glued together, of course.
Tip: Be sure to set each bag on top with the folded edge closest to you and the flat side on top (folded bottom area is underneath). This makes your snowflake unfold correctly and look symmetrical.
Make a hot glue “T” on the top bag and set the bag you drew your design on top next.
This makes a stack of three bags.
Cut out the design
Using good scissors, go ahead and 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 is SO FUN to open up your giant snowflakes, especially the first time!
Take your stacked bags that are glued together. Hold the top open end of the bag 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.
Hanging your paper bag snowflakes
We need to think about how we want to hang these bags up.
To hang these DIY paper bag snowflakes you can use string, a piece of twine, or fishing line.
Cut a piece of string that’s about 8 to 12 inches long and set it to the side.
You can use a line of glue to hot glue the surfaces of these two bags together if you want. But it may be easier to use a glue stick or a stapler for this step to avoid the heat of the hot glue when connecting the last two bags.
Tip: Staples can be removed later so you can use the easy paper bag snowflakes again next year.
Then you’re going to use a hole punch to punch a hole in the top of the bag. If you don’t have a hole punch, very carefully make a small hole with a scissors.
I used some of the little hole reinforcers that are for notebook paper and applied them on both sides of the bag around the hole I’d punched. I’d like it to last quite a while, and I don’t want to get pulled out and rip too easily. This is an optional step.
Then just take your string, go through the hole and tie the two string ends together.
If you have a taller ceiling you can cut the string longer as needed for where you want to hang your snowflake.
Tip: 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.
Tip of the year- Louise wrote a post comment that it could work to use Velcro on the bags. What a great suggestion!! How about using the adhesive backed Velcro circles or squares on the bags? Velcro will hold them open then can be undone to fold the bags up to store away. Thanks Louise- you are awesome!! I'm going to try that!
Now you can hang your snowflake!
Ways to use your Snowflakes Out of Paper Lunch Bags
I’m going to make a snowflake from brown paper bags to hang in the corner of my office. I’ve had some circular paper lanterns there for quite a while, and I was looking for something new.
Last weekend I made these with the grandkids. They liked making them and loved opening them up. I’m using some of them in a window of my house to decorate for Christmas!
Several snowflakes the grandkids made are being gifted to a local retirement home for Christmas decor in their dining room or P.T. area.
When I was teaching, we teachers always looked for an inexpensive way to decorate! I had the kind of ceiling in my room that was a drop ceiling with metal dividers. Snowflakes would be a great idea to hang from some of those dividers.
I could also see white paper bag snowflakes looking really nice in a store window.
This would be a wonderful decoration for a party or prom that had a theme such as Winter Wonderland or Starry Starry Night or something along that line. Large, showy, inexpensive to make, and an easy craft. Score.
Things to try
- Using a Command Hook to hang them on a wall.
- Weave fairy lights through your paper bag stars to create a festive touch to this winter decor.
- Use this idea as a DIY Christmas craft for a child's or adult party activity.
- Make larger or smaller snowflakes using different sizes of bags like grocery bags or mini paper bags. It would be a great idea to have a smaller version in a grouping.
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.
More DIY Christmas Craft Decorations:
There are a lot more Christmas decorating ideas over at welcomenanas.com. Check out these for to keep the crafting fun going!
- Glowing Paper Bag Luminaries
- Easy Origami Christmas Trees (3 Ways!)
- Make a No-Sew Sock Gnome for Christmas
- Fast Upcycled Picture Frame
- Easy Glass Bowl Christmas Centerpiece
This tutorial uses 8 paper bags to make a large snowflake. This amount holds the shape well, without becoming too cumbersome to cut!
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!
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.
Come join the fun at https://welcometonanas.com
Supplies for How to Make Easy DIY Snowflake Out of Paper Bags
- Brown paper lunch bags or white paper lunch bags
- Easy DIY Snowflake Out of Paper Bags Free Pattern
- Hot glue gun and hot glue
- String, twine, or fishing line
- Ribbon (optional)
- Good Scissors
- Hole Punch
- Hole reinforcers (optional)
- Glue stick or stapler (optional)
How to Make an Easy DIY Snowflake out of Paper Bags
Equipment
- Hot glue gun and hot glue
- Good Scissors
- Hole punch
- Stapler (optional)
Items Required
- Brown paper lunch bags or white paper lunch bags
- Easy DIY Snowflake Out of Paper Bags Free Pattern
- String, twine, or fishing line
- Ribbon (optional)
- Hole reinforcers (optional)
- Glue stick (optional)
Instructions
- I have made a printable with snowflake pattern ideas that you can use. There are six different patterns there and I know you will come up with many more of your own!Free pattern found here: How to Make Easy DIY Snowflake from Paper Bags Free Pattern.
- Lay the first bag down in front of you with the bottom fold closest to you, the opening of the bag at the top, and the flat unfolded side upward.You can either freehand draw the pattern on the first bag or you can try enlarging this pattern template to a size that would fit on the side of the bag.Go ahead and draw your pattern on the top of the first bag. Remember that you need to leave uncut areas on the sides of the bags so the snowflake holds together. So draw a design that doesn't cut off the entire side of the paper bag.You will use this as a template to cut the rest of the bags. Set this bag to the side for a minute.
- Take one of the bags and set it in front of you with the folded bottom edge closest to you and the flat unfolded side upward. Take your hot glue gun and place a strip of glue down the center of the bag (from the top of the paper bag to the bottom of the bag) and then sideways from one side 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), and they will be glued together, of course. Tip: Be sure to set each bag on top with the folded edge closest to you and the flat side on top (folded bottom area is underneath). This makes your snowflake unfold correctly and look symmetrical.Make a hot glue “T” on the top bag and set the bag you drew your design on top next. This makes a stack of three bags.
- Using good scissors, go ahead and 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.
- Drum roll- the next step is the fun part!! It is SO FUN to open up your giant snowflakes, especially the first time!Take your stacked bags that are glued together. Hold the top open end of the bag 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.
- We need to think about how we want to hang these bags up. To hang these DIY paper bag snowflakes you can use string, a piece of twine, or fishing line. Cut a piece of string that’s about 8 to 12 inches long and set it to the side.You can use a line of glue to hot glue the surfaces of these two bags together if you want. But it may be easier to use a glue stick or a stapler for this step to avoid the heat of the hot glue when connecting the last two bags. Tip: Staples can be removed later so you can use the easy paper bag snowflakes again next year.Then you’re going to use a hole punch to punch a hole in the top of the bag. If you don’t have a hole punch, very carefully make a small hole with a scissors.I used some of the little hole reinforcers that are for notebook paper and applied them on both sides of the bag around the hole I’d punched. I’d like it to last quite a while, and I don’t want to get pulled out and rip too easily. This is an optional step.Then just take your string, go through the hole and tie the two string ends together. If you have a taller ceiling you can cut the string longer as needed for where you want to hang your snowflake.Tip: 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.Now you can hang your snowflake!
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