Fold 'n' Twist Cards

In my previous post, I reviewed Paper Folding Templates, by Trish Witkowski (Apple Press, 2012). The author expressed the desire for the templates to be used as "a springboard for creativity". Today's blogpost projects are based upon a couple of the wow-factor designs in the book.

First up, a couple of Fold 'n' Twist Cards, based upon the Twist Fold card on page 151:

The design is true to the template, whose design lines are similar to these:

I simply dropped a design into the format. (The circle of text in the centre says "Happy Spring!", in case you were wondering.)

After that straightforward use of the format, I decided to experiment and turn the idea into a flower shape:

With inner petals

No inner petals

These cards are big fun in that they have a TARDIS-like effect - bigger on the inside (once they have been opened). Like so:

To open, pull petals in opposite directions. Remove the seal first!

 Tah dah! The text reads " Birthday Wishes".

Since I was pursuing a Springtime/flower theme, I then followed up with a hexagonal design. The book featured a folded card with a configuration similar to the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt pattern:

I played around with it, edited it down and tried different folding methods to come up with these:

The basic pattern is like this:

I have always been partial to swirls! Pinch the corners to make the triangles, fold them flat to the centre, spiralling them round.

So there you go - start with a template, then experiment.

Here are your downloadable printables (my original designs, not using the templates from the book, but using the ideas in the book as a starting point):
TwistFoldSpring.pdf
TwistFoldBirthdayFlowerPetal.pdf
TwistFoldBirthdayFlower.pdf 
FoldingFlowerGetWell.pdf
FoldingFlowerThinkingofYou.pdf 

Have fun making your surprise-factor cards. And enjoy experimenting with folded shapes.

Paper Folding Templates: Book Review

Paper Folding Templates:

Folding Solutions for Brochures, Invitations and Flyers

By Trish Witkowski

Apple Press 2012

Paperback with CD, £14.99

ISBN 978 1 84543 435 9

Star rating: ****

When you are trawling for papercraft books, you are often rewarded with a great catch when you cast your net further out – case in point, this nifty graphic design title, published in 2012 but just now on my personal radar. Intended for graphic design pros, this title can really help hobbyist papercrafters up their game when it comes to designing folded cards and pamphlets. This title contains lots of fabulous - simple but effective - presentation ideas. It's a real gem.

The book deals with designing printed matter. As the book points out, “folding is a great way to get a lot of information into a compact size”. The book also points out that “order of opening leads the reader through the material”.  All folded formats pack a punch because they have a built-in surprise factor. There’s always a reveal. Add to that, the appeal of unusual formats and attention-grabbing shapes. A folded project is interactive.

A browse through the headings of this book is paper geek heaven:  there is a chart of “Folding Families”:  Accordion Folds, Map Folds, Exotic Folds, Gate Folds, Roll Folds, and more. How about a Meandering Accordion Fold? Or glueless pockets, a neat trick.

You will learn about lots of technical tips of the trade. For example, in your papercrafting, you have probably noticed (if a card has come up short or doesn’t lie flat) that the fold itself takes up space. You will learn how to compensate for this factor. And of course, the book advises on how to choose the appropriate fold for your project. 

Interspersed with the practical knowledge are delightful gallery sections illustrating folded printed matter. 

Of prime concern to card-makers, the author covers postal considerations of size and cost. Even more important if you sell by direct mail.

The various fold formats are illustrated with step-by-step sketches, clearly labelled with directional arrows.

The book, which is a quality paperback, comes with a CD of printable, scalable templates. Each design is accompanied by folding diagrams and a QR code which links to a how-to video.

The author, Trish Witkowski, intends the templates to be used as a springboard for creativity. So – in my next post I will feature a couple of designs based upon some of the folds in Paper Folding Templates.

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this title.

Easter Egg Boxes

Egg boxes: tab or wrap closures.

Egg trays: no lids.

Trays with attached lids.

Here's a budget-conscious idea for distributing Easter chocs. Buy no-frills bags of choc eggs and prettily re-package them for giving! There are several variations on the egg box theme to choose from: plain box to fill with a pile of goodies, egg trays for half a dozen mini-eggs, and lidded trays. The egg trays are best for tabletop display or parties.

If you are making the egg tray styles, you may have to adjust the size of the egg holes to fit your particular choc eggs - so make up a trial egg box in scrap cardstock first.

Here are your free printables:
YellowEggBoxBasic.pdf 
BlueEggBoxBasic.pdf 

YellowEggBoxDeluxe.pdf 
BlueEggBoxDeluxeSelect.pdf 

EggTrays.pdf

The instructions are on the printable sheets. Have fun making the egg boxes and give yourself a few choc perks as you make up the project. Enjoy.


 

Horseshoe Purse Tutorial

To celebrate the arrival of Spring, I'm running a project with a flower print on it. These cute little horseshoe purses make sweet party favours. Pull the tab on the purse to open it and reveal the removable inner purse, which is just big enough to contain a few coins or a folded message. You can even fit two purses inside:

When the purses are open, they look a bit like those chattering teeth novelty gags - but in a good way! :)

Here are your printables. A tutorial follows.
BlueHorseshoePurse.pdf
PinkHorseshoePurse.pdf
PurpleHorseshoePurse.pdf

YellowHorseshoePurse.pdf

Horseshoe Purse Tutorial

1 Above, the Horseshoe Purse pieces cut out and prepped (the inner purse how-tos follow later). Crease the two side strips in half lengthwise. Fold two widthwise centre purse folds, as shown. Fold the pull-tab in half widthwise and glue the halves together, aligning edges. Crease all the spiky tabs around the purse body at the base (mountain folds). 

2 Starting at the purse middle, glue on a side band all round, to the opposite side of the purse. The purse tabs should be at a 90 degree angle. Apply the glue onto the tabs, not the band - this makes positioning easier, one tab at a time.

3 Above, gluing the purse band. Work the band round, making sure the the band end aligns with the end of the last tab.

4 Glue a reinforcement inside the purse, as shown. Pierce a hole through all layers.

5 Next, apply glue onto the upper half of the inside side band. Carefully fold the band in half, to the inside of the purse. Take particular care at the curves. Don't stint with the glue - the moister the band is, the more easily it will conform to the curves. In fact, it is a good idea to start at the curves, then smooth outwards. This is the trickiest bit!

6 On the inside of the purse, tamp the band down with a bone folder. Next, apply the remaining side band to the other side of the purse. 
7 Next, glue the pull tab onto the underside of the centre front of the purse, like so:

The horsehoe purse is now finished and looks like this:

8 Time now to make the removable inside purse. You need these pattern pieces:

If you want your purse to be lined with print on the inside, then you must print and cut out two oval Purse Body pieces.

9 First put align the purse pocket with one side of the purse body oval and glue down the tabs.

10 Turn the purse over and position the closure band across the purse front, as shown. Hold the band in place and turn the purse to the back again.

11 Glue the band tabs down on the purse back, leaving just a little bit of slack in the band.

12 With wrong sides facing and edges aligned, glue the second body oval onto the purse, concealing the tabs. Tamp the edges down.

13 On the purse front, score a fold line just above the pocket. 

14 To close the purse, insert the flap under the band. Prime the flap first by rolling it to give it a gently curve.

15 Tie the tag onto the purse with a piece of craft thread (you'll have to pierce or punch holes in the tag and and purse).

16 Insert the mini purse in the bottom of the horseshoe purse. You're done!

Make a bunch!