Matchbox Suitcase Bon Voyage Gift

Enclose a small gift in the matchbox drawer. Bon voyage!

Graduated sizes!

Choice of tags.

A quick-make for the summer hols. Matchboxes are irresistibly cute - and so easy to  make. These matchboxes are in fancy dress to look like miniature suitcases. A fun alternative to a bon voyage card for travelling friends. Enclose a small gift - sweets, souvenir dosh. Up to you.

Free downloads plus a tutorial follow. There's a .pdf because this project is simple enough to make by hand.

MatchboxSuitcase.svg
MatchboxSuitcase.pdf 

Matchbox Suitcase Tut

1. Above, suitcase pieces cut out and folded. Left to right: matchbox drawer, matchbox wrap, suitcase handle (top), suitcase straps. Choose a fun print for the wrap or go for leather-look textured paper.

2. Pic above shows the outside of  the matchbox drawer. Double-sided tape is applied to the tabs. (Alternatively, it is OK to glue the tabs.)

3. Pic above shows the inside of the matchbox drawer, with tape on the
side flaps.

4. To assemble the drawer, stick each side tab to the adjacent side.

5. To complete the matchbox drawer, fold the side flaps to the inside. Like so:

6. Now for the wrap. If you inspect the wrap pattern piece, you will see that one end flap is a smidge wider than the other (shown by arrow). This is the flap which you glue on the outside. Like so:

7. Next, glue the inside of the handle together. 

8. Apply d/s tape to the top of the handle flaps.

9. Insert the handle into the slot in the suitcase strap piece. 

 Then join the suitcase strap piece to make a loop. Like so:

The completed suitcase straps form a cage which is slipped over the matchbox.

10. To complete the matchox suitcase, simply slide the straps over the matchbox. Ease the straps on and move them to the centre of the matchbox. Tie on the tags for the finishing touch. Good to go!

Above, my primitive photo-editing skills. I'll get there eventually. Patience!

To open the drawer, just push gently from the opposite side. You can add a pull tab if you wish (given on the template).

Thanks to Leah for taking the big pics and to Michael for photographing the how-tos on a very hot day.