How to Make Crystal Snowflake Ornaments

4 Materials
$10
1 Hour
Easy

I just love crystallizing pipe cleaners! I made these Crystal Snowflake Ornaments and I can’t wait to share how to make them.

I’m thrilled to share the DIY to make my Handmade Snowflakes. You can make crystal snowflake ornaments with your kids or yourself (or anyone). They do have to soak overnight but it is so much fun!

Look at this snowflake! Isn’t it incredible?

These were very fun to make and I can’t wait to share with you a LIVE tutorial!


Here is my live craft demonstration I did on Facebook.


You can watch my demo below or you can click here to go to my Facebook page to watch!


How to Make Crystal Snowflake Ornaments

How to Make Handmade Snowflakes

What You Need to Make The Snowflakes


Chenille pipe cleaners (I cut mine to 8″ long)


Borax (one box)


Fishing line (to hang)


Dowels to hang the snowflakes


Container to hang your pipe cleaner snowflakes so they won’t touch while soaking.


  1. Cut and twist the pipe cleaners to make snowflakes. Mine are quite large. If I make them again I will make them smaller. About 4″ – 5″ long.
  2. Tie each snowflake to fishing line so they can soak in the Borax.
  3. Mix Borax with boiling water in a sealed container. (Use 1 1/2 cups per 8 cups of boiling water. or three tablespoons per cup of boiling water.) I used some large glass vases and a metal Bread box!. Hang (or place) the snowflakes in the Borax/Water. Do not let the snowflakes touch each other or else they will stick together. Leave overnight.
  4. The timing may vary when you soak them overnight. When I checked them the next morning, they hadn’t crystalized. But I checked again an hour later and they were perfect.


This is what they looked like while they were soaking.

And yes, I did soak them in my bread holder, because it was a perfect size.


Of course, it is coated with crystals right now so I don’t recommend it. (Just kidding, all you need to do is pour boiling water in your container and it comes right off.)


Making the snowflakes is not hard to do. This is what my snowflakes looked like. They were fun to make. To add the short pipe cleaners to each snowflake, just twist the pipe cleaner twice to secure.

I have a great book on snowflakes and I used it to get ideas for the snowflake shapes. It’s called The Snowflake 1st Edition.


If you have ever seen a snowflake up close, then you know the intricacy of their designs. Snowflakes are magical and have always been such a mystery to me!


Here is a photo of one of the pages from the book.

It is so hard to believe these are actually snowflakes!


I guess you could say I have been a bit obsessed with snowflakes and I think that is what makes this craft so special to me. I loved making these and being able to crystalize the pipe cleaner snowflakes!


Here is what your snowflakes should look like when you are done soaking them in Borax.


I love how the light catches this snowflake.

Here is a close-up of one of the snowflakes I made.

So what do you think?


I love the photo of these snowflakes drying in the sun. That’s kind of funny … “snowflakes drying in the sun”. Haha

Here are some fun Christmas decor ideas. All of these items are my favorites.

  • Mercury glass is so beautiful on a Christmas tree. I love this mercury glass garland!
  • Kurt Adler makes vintage inspired ornaments and this set of 12 is one of my favorites!
  • All of these beautiful jewel toned ornaments are so gorgeous and 25 glass ornaments for $30!
  • How amazing is this vintage inspired glass garland?
  • These whimsical striped glass balls are so sweet. A set of 9 for $15!
  • These red and gold vintage inspired glass oranments are absolutely gorgeous!
  • I love to swag a tree with garland and this cranberry wood bead garland is 9ft!
  • Or if you want less color, you can use this natural wood bead garland that is 12ft.
  • How sweet is this set of 4 glass ornaments? I think the bear is my favorite.
  • 25 mercury glass ornaments for $25! You can’t beat that deal!
  • This box vintage inspired ornaments is one of my favorites!
  • This set of red, green and gold vintage inspired ornaments are so pretty!
  • I love these green glass pinecones. This set of 12 is only $15!


Pin the image below to your Craft or Christmas DIY boards on Pinterest (just click the Pin button in the top left corner). You can also follow along with me on Pinterest!

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ABOUT LESLIE

Welcome to My 100 Year Old Home. I started my blog so I could share my passion for entertaining, décor, cooking, and crafts. You will find all this and more right here. Read more…


DIY Christmas Decorations

For more festive decor projects, discover Hometalk's ultimate list of easy-to-make DIY Christmas ornaments and snowflake crafts.

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  • Lannen Lannen on Dec 08, 2021

    Just to clarify: the snowflakes hang above the borax/water solution in a sealed container, and as the water evaporates it deposits the borax "crystals" on the snowflakes?

  • Wendy Freed Schonewitz Wendy Freed Schonewitz on Dec 13, 2021

    Can you reuse the solution by bringing it back up to boiling?

  • Kelly Kelly on Dec 23, 2021

    These are so cute! Do you have any idea what they would look like if I used iridescent pipe cleaners instead of white ones? I guess I'm asking does the borax solution crystalize white so it wouldn't make a difference or is it more translucent?

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  • Katen Katen on Nov 09, 2023

    Did this with salt and string in fourth grade. Sister made it a teaching moment (science, math and art). What fun that December was making snowflakes and learning things. Took a while but part of the fun watching salt crystals forming on string. Then another couple of days to dry. AND we were allowed to dye with food coloring. New level of enjoyment

  • Del49991836 Del49991836 on Nov 30, 2023

    I made them a few years back and only have one left. Everyone that saw them wanted one so 11 are out there. I was just talking to my great granddaughter a couple days ago about trying to find the directions so she and I can make some. If I remember correctly I used Epsom salt so also along with your recipe. What do you think? I'm so excited about us making them. We could both use a bit of extra happiness right now. Much Gratitude! Happy Holidays !

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