Wire Snowflake Jig

To Make A Simple Christmas Ornament

There is nothing like a snowflake for getting into the Christmas spirit - even if you don't have real ones, you can make some for some rustic decor.

The jig I designed for this project is a piece of scrap lumber, with holes pre-drilled, then the nails won't split it. In future, I might use plywood, where this wouldn't be a problem and it would be sturdier.

It looks like a medieval torture device, but if you're careful not to leave it lying around it would be perfectly safe.

The wire you use for the winding can be soft copper wire, salvaged from a demolition project, or tie wire (shown here). Make sure to anneal the copper wire or it won't be easy to work with.

In the end, I decided it's a lot of work for what I was attempting, and I went with a simpler method to make stars instead. I would make these if I wasn't committed to making sixty of them!

Use some kind of heavy metal object to press the wire curves together

The forks in the top picture are an essential tool; you need them to pry off the wire from the jig. The metal gear is used for pressing the wire flat - any heavy metal object will do, as long as it's got a flat side. They will need some adjusting, and then the ends will be twisted together. See the wire techniques page, and look for the instructions on how to do a pigtail twist.

These would be very interesting used as a motif set into a window frame, or used as a sun catcher. You could make them bigger for that. Hang them from the Christmas tree, or make them into a garland. Or, use them to accessorize a wreath.

Would you like to make your own jig for this fun craft? There's a diagram for that!

Simply lay out the paper diagram that you've printed on the wood that you've chosen, and poke each dot with a nail to make a mark.