In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a stitched cardboard snowflake ornament using simple materials you probably already have. This Christmas ornament craft is perfect for using up cardboard scraps, keeping kids busy on cold afternoons, and making decorations that feel personal instead of mass-produced.
Plus, we’ve included a free template and video tutorial so you can see exactly how the stitching works.
Project Specifications:
- Difficulty Level: Beginner-friendly (great first stitching project, very forgiving)
- Cost: Under $1 per ornament (uses cardboard scraps and leftover yarn)
- Time: 20-30 minutes per snowflake
- Ages: 8+ years independently, 6-7 years with adult help threading the needle.
More Christmas Crafts You’ll Love
This cardboard snowflake ornament is part of our Christmas Crafts for Kids and Beginners Series. We created this series so as a parent you can spend the holidays making beautiful things with your kids and strengthen the bonding while making the holiday memorable.
Other crafts you may try:
- Origami Christmas Bookmarks – Four different character bookmarks using one simple base fold that kids can master quickly.
- 3D Paper Christmas Tree – These dimensional trees make beautiful table decorations and use easy paper-folding techniques.
- Yarn-Wrapped Christmas Tree Ornament – Another yarn project kids love making from start to finish.
- Origami Snowflake – A folded paper version of snowflakes that’s a bit trickier but still beginner-friendly.
For even more winter decoration ideas, check out our complete collection of snowflake crafts with different techniques and materials.
How to Make an Easy Snowflake Ornament
Things You’ll Need
Materials
- Cardboard (cereal box weight). Too thin tears when you pull yarn through. Too thick won’t pierce easily. Cereal box or Amazon box cardboard is perfect.
- White yarn (worsted weight recommended). Medium thickness shows up nicely against brown cardboard and threads easily.
- Craft Glue
- Pencil
Tools
- Sharp scissors (for cutting cardboard cleanly).
- Large-eye needle (yarn needles or embroidery needles). The eye needs to fit your yarn through easily.
Please note that the provided links may include affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission.
Step by Step Instructions: Cardboard Snowflake Ornament
Step 1: Cut and Trace the Snowflake Pattern
Download and print the template, then cut out a cardboard circle. Use a ruler to mark the center point. Trace the snowflake pattern onto the cardboard. Cut a 3-foot piece of yarn, thread it through your needle, and tie a knot at the other end.
Pro tip: Don’t cut your yarn too long or it’ll tangle while you’re stitching. Three feet is plenty.
Step 2: Create the Starting Hole at the Center
Push your needle through the center mark from the back of the cardboard. Pull it through to the front. Insert the needle back through that same hole from the front and pull the yarn until the knot catches on the back.
Note: Go slowly when making this first hole. Push too hard and the cardboard can tear.
Step 3: Start Stitching the Pattern
Push the needle through any point where the lines intersect or end. Start covering your traced lines with yarn. You can stitch the spokes in any order you want.
Parent tip: Show kids how to go from point to point along the lines. It doesn’t matter which spoke they stitch first.
Step 4: Complete All the Snowflake Lines
Keep stitching over each traced line until your entire snowflake pattern is covered in yarn. Follow the lines you drew and watch your snowflake appear with each stitch.
This is where kids really get into it. They can see the snowflake appearing, and that progress keeps them engaged way longer than most crafts.
Step 5: Tie Off the Yarn on the Back
Bring your needle to the back of the cardboard. Find a nearby stitch and tie two tight knots around it. Trim off any extra yarn.
Important: Make those knots tight. You don’t want all that stitching to come undone after you’ve hung it on the tree.
Step 6: Glue the Border and Hanging Loop
Glue yarn around the outer edge of your cardboard circle to create a neat border. Cut another small piece of yarn, make it into a loop, and glue both ends to the back for hanging.
Step 7: Let the Glue Dry Completely
Set your snowflake aside and let the glue dry for 15-20 minutes before hanging it up.
Watch the Video Tutorial: Cardboard Snowflake Ornament
If you’d like to see this cardboard snowflake ornament come together step-by-step, don’t forget to check out our full video tutorial on YouTube! Watching the process in action makes the stitching and assembly even easier to follow.
And while you’re there, make sure to hit subscribe and tap the notification bell, so you never miss out on our fun, simple, and festive DIY craft videos all season long!
Tips for Beginners to Craft a Neat Snowflake Ornament!
Choose Medium-Weight Cardboard – Cereal box or shipping box cardboard works best. It holds its shape without bending while you stitch. Thin cardboard like poster board buckles. Really thick corrugated cardboard is hard to punch through.
Use a Needle with a Large Eye – Threading thick yarn through a tiny needle hole is frustrating. Yarn needles or embroidery needles have bigger eyes made for thicker thread. If you don’t have a yarn needle, use thinner yarn with a regular large sewing needle.
Keep Your Yarn Length Manageable – Working with 6 feet of yarn tangles constantly. Stick with 3 feet or less. If you run out before finishing, just tie off and start a new piece. Nobody sees the knots on the back anyway.
Don’t Pull the Yarn Too Hard – Gentle tension is all you need. Yank on the yarn and it warps the cardboard or makes stitches uneven. Just pull until the yarn lies flat and stop there.
Tie Two Knots at the End – Tie two tight knots at the back before trimming excess yarn. One knot might slip loose over time. Two knots mean your stitching stays put for years.
Let the Glue Fully Dry Before Hanging – Give the glue 15-20 minutes to set. Hang it too soon and the border or loop might slide off.
We love seeing your handmade ornaments! When you make your cardboard snowflakes, share photos on social media and tag us with #thecraftaholicwitch so we can celebrate your crafting.
Creative variations we’d love to see:
- Rainbow yarn snowflakes with every color
- Mini snowflakes used as gift tags with names written on the back
- Giant snowflakes made with poster board
- Painted cardboard in winter colors before stitching
Final Thoughts
Making this cardboard snowflake ornament is honestly kind of therapeutic. There’s something about following those lines with yarn, watching the pattern emerge stitch by stitch, that just calms you down after a hectic day of holiday prep.
My son sat down expecting this to be “just another craft,” but halfway through stitching his first snowflake, he got quiet in that focused way kids do when they’re actually into something. He made three more that same afternoon without me even suggesting it. That’s when you know a craft actually works.
So grab that pile of cardboard you’ve been meaning to recycle, find some leftover yarn, and make a few snowflakes that’ll remind you every year that the best ornaments are the ones made with your own hands.
Keep crafting, keep learning, and keep creating those precious memories!
Happy Crafting!
