DIY Hanging Paper Snowflake Lantern for Winter

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY PAPER SNOWFLAKE LANTERN DESIGNS

First, download my Paper Snowflake Lantern designs from my free library – look for Design #682. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

In the SVG folder, you’ll find three snowflake lantern designs:

• One with an ornate panel design.
• One with pointed panel designs.
• And one with rounded panel designs.

There is also a DXF folder with cut files, and a PDF folder with versions you can print and cut by hand.

I’ll demonstrate with the “ornate” version of the snowflake lantern, but you can use these steps to make any of the designs.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR SNOWFLAKE LANTERN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. In Cricut Design Space, open a blank Canvas.
2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse” and find your downloaded design files.
4. Select the snowflake lantern SVG file you want to use. NOTE: I’ll use the “ornate” file.
5. Click “Continue.”
6. Click “Upload” to add the file to the Canvas.
7. The snowflake shapes will be the structure of the lantern, and the smaller circle or hexagon shapes will be the optional diffuser pieces.
8. Click “Save” and give your project a name so you can find it easily.
9. Click “Ungroup” the design and spread the pieces out to work with the elements separately.
10. The solid circles are optional diffuser panels, which you can delete if you want the light to shine through the panels without diffusion. NOTE: I’ll keep mine and show you how to cut them out of vellum.
11. As designed, the panels create a roughly 5” tall lantern. If you want to make a larger 8” tall lantern, select all the panels and optional diffusers, then click “Align” and “Center.”
12. With the Lock icon closed, set the Width (W) to 8” which will also resize the diffusers to fit if you’re using them.
13. You’re ready to cut!

CUTTING

1. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.
2. Click “Make.”
3. On the Prepare screen, make sure the correct Material Size is selected for your materials. NOTE: I’ll keep mine set to 12” x 12”.
4. Click back on the first lantern panel mat so it loads first on the next page.
5. Click “Continue.”
6. On the Make screen, set the Base Material for your first lantern panel mat to the “Kraft Board” setting and change the Pressure to “More.” Then check the box for “Remember Material Settings” to save time between mats. NOTE: Not all machines cut the exact same way, but I got the best results with these settings. TIP: Changing the Pressure to “More” results in a cleaner cut.
7. Place your kraft board face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat.
8. Use a brayer to make sure it’s fully adhered.
9. Check that your Premium Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.
10. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.
11. Press the flashing “Go” button to begin cutting.
12. When the cuts finish, don’t unload the mat right away. Gently lift a corner of the material to make sure the cuts went all the way through. If not, press the “Go” button again to make a second pass of cuts in the same spots.
13. When the cuts are complete, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and gently roll it back to release the cardstock. TIP: If you have any issues with your cuts, go to jennifermaker.com/cleaner-cuts.
14. Use a spatula to help lift delicate areas and a weeding tool to pop out small cuts from intricate areas.
15. Place the cut pieces face up in the correct orientation so assembly is easier later.
16. Use a scraper to remove cutouts left on the mat.
17. Continue cutting the rest of the cardstock, aligning the panels face up as you go.
18. If you’re making the optional vellum diffuser panels, use Steps 6-13 with the “Vellum” setting and “More” Pressure and place the material on a Blue LightGrip Machine Mat. NOTE: Remember to check the box to “Remember Material Settings” for your vellum mats.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE THE PAPER SNOWFLAKE LANTERN

NOTE: There are 12 identical panels, so try to do this in one sitting to avoid confusion or losing your place.

OPTIONAL: ADD DIFFUSER PANELS

1. If you’re using the diffuser panels, stack your lantern panels so the top points are pointing away from you, and the slits open to the same direction. Then flip over your stack of lantern panels. NOTE: If you’re left-handed, the panels may be easier to assemble if the slits open to the left. Since I’m right-handed, I’ll make sure the slits are open to the right.
2. Lay your first panel in front of you, then place a vellum piece over the panel’s cutouts to see where you can add glue to keep it in place.
3. Remove the vellum and add dots and thin lines of good quality craft glue to those spots on a face-down panel piece.
4. Lower the vellum onto the glue and make sure all the cutouts are covered before pressing it into place to dry.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 to glue vellum pieces to the remaining panels, and make sure they’re completely dry before beginning assembly.

PUT THE LANTERN PANELS TOGETHER

1. Decide which panel will be the base panel (Panel 1) and hold it in your left hand with its bottom arm pointing toward you, its bottom slit opening to the right, and the inside (the diffuser side) face up.
2. Hold the first side panel (Panel 2) in your right hand with its bottom arm pointing straight down, its slit opening to the left, and the inside (the diffuser side) facing away from you.
3. Then line up the slits on the two bottom arms so they’re facing each other.
4. Gently slot the cuts in the base and Panel 2 together until the panels are all the way in. NOTE: When the panels are properly oriented, the diffusers will face the inside of the lantern. NOTE: This first connection uses one set of slits, which is one less than you’ll use for the next three side panels.
5. Hold the panels together with your left hand so you don’t lose your progress, and rotate the base so the first panel moves to the left side. NOTE: I find it easiest to assemble the lantern with the bottom panel facing me so I don’t lose track of it, but you may find another method more comfortable.
6. Take Panel 3 and hold it the same way you did Panel 2, with an arm pointing straight down.
7. Line up Panel 3’s left-facing slit with the next right-facing slit on the lantern’s bottom panel and slot them in all the way. TIP: Keep the previous side panel (Panel 2) connected!
8. When Panel 3 is connected to the base and in position, the arms at the corner between Panels 2 and 3 are a little tricky to slot together, so carefully guide them into place. NOTE: Make sure the slits on the two side panels fit together and won’t disengage, but don’t worry about locking anything in place just yet. It will be easier to slot the pieces together if there is a little wiggle room now.
9. Add two more side panels (Panel 4 and Panel 5) the same way. TIP: Remember, make sure your already-assembled panels are staying connected before moving to the next one. NOTE: As you add side panels, the lantern’s shape will become more visible. TIP: If you ever get disoriented, adjust the assembled panels until the base (the panel with the most connections to other panels) can rest on your work surface. Find the panel that sticks up and doesn’t have a panel to its right. That’s the panel you should add to next.
10. When you’re ready to add Panel 6, you'll also need to attach it to the open side slit on Panel 2 to complete the lower side panels. I found it easiest to first align the bottom slit with Panel 5, then the side, and end with the connection to Panel 2. TIP: Take your time and be gentle to avoid ripping any of the delicate details. You can gently curve the arms to make the slits easier to access. Once everything is in place, the panels will make a bowl.
11. To begin the upper sides, pick a V-shape between two of the lower side panels. NOTE: There should be a right-facing slit angling down on the left-side panel’s arm, and a right-facing slit angling up on the other.
12. Bring over a new panel to start the upper side section (Panel 7) and position it face up with an arm sticking straight down.
13. Align the left-facing slit on Panel 7’s bottom arm with the slit on the left side of the lower section’s V-shape.
14. Then, gently use the tips of the arms to align the right-side slits and slot them together.
15. The first panel (Panel 7) for your top side section is secure! Just like the first connection on the lower section, this piece uses fewer slits than the remaining panels.
16. To add the next upper side panel (Panel 8) you’ll need to align three sets of slits in a boxy U shape.
17. Align the new panel’s bottom arm with a left-facing slit with the left side of the U, then its next arm with the bottom of the U, and finally the new panel’s third arm with the right side of the U.
18. Add Panels 9, 10, and 11 the same way.
19. Connect Panel 11 to the left, bottom, and right of the last U-shaped section. Then you can see that the next arm matches up with one on Panel 6 from the beginning of the upper side section.
20. Gently guide the last two arms together to complete the sides, leaving one section open at the lantern’s top.
21. Place the lantern on your work surface so the opening is at the top.
22. Make sure your fairy lights work, then unwind them.
23. Starting at the end furthest from the battery pack, loosely wrap the string of lights around your hand to make a loop small enough to fit in the top of the lantern. NOTE: Keep the battery pack and a few inches of the wire near it hanging away from the lights.
24. Place the coiled lights into the lantern and gently loosen them a bit to better fill the inside.
25. Keep the battery pack outside of the lantern and place its wire in a V-shape between two upper panels for now.
26. Carefully tilt the assembled lantern so a V-shape between two upper side panels is easy to access.
27. Hold the final panel (Panel 12) face up with an arm pointing down.
28. Slot Panel 12’s left-facing slit with the right-facing slit on the the left of the V-shape and partially slot them together. TIP: Be extra careful to avoid ripping as you get to the really tight sections.
29. Gently work around Panel 12, aligning and slotting together the slits that match up. NOTE: If you have trouble aligning a section, check the connections all over the lantern to make sure the panels are slotted in all the way. If something is misaligned, it may be influencing other pieces.
30. Once the top panel is in place, go over the lantern making sure all of the arms are fully slotted in to minimize any gaps between the panels where light can sneak out.
31. Cut a piece of ribbon about twice the length you want the lantern to hang.
32. Find the seam where the battery pack’s wire is sticking out of the lantern.
33. Find the two small circle cutouts mirroring each other. NOTE: If the diffusers are blocking the cutouts, you can tie the ribbon in a loop and gently wrap it around a branch instead.
34. Feed an end of the ribbon in through one hole and out through the other.
35. Tie the ends of the ribbon in a knot to create a hanging loop.
36. Gently feed the wire near the battery pack into the lantern so the smooth plastic side can align with a snowflake arm next to the hanger. NOTE: This position will be least visible if you’re hanging the lantern above peoples’ eyelines, like near a ceiling – but you’ll still be able to reach the battery pack to turn the lights on and off and to replace the batteries.
37. Stick a flat glue dot to the smooth side of the battery pack and adhere it to the snowflake arm. TIP: Make sure the switch and side with screws on the battery pack are facing out and accessible.

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF

Your paper snowflake lantern is complete!