Big Square Box: Paper Patchwork

Today's paper patchwork container is a Big Square Box. Not huge (about 5 x 3-1/4in/12.5 x 8.3cm) - but bigger than Monday's mini-cubes. Your basic square box comes in very handy - and provides a nice display area for the paper patchwork blocks. 

The patchwork block designs are from my new Paper Patchwork 2 template from Hot Off The Press:

HOTP papercraft template # 7420.

Of course, any 2-1/2in square patchwork block will fit onto the box sides and lid, including these:

QuiltBlockswStitching17May14.pdf

And here are your square box templates:
SquareBoxLid.pdf 
SquareBoxBaseSides.pdf 

SquareBoxLid.svg
SquareBoxBaseSides.svg 

The boxes are pieced so that the components fit onto photocopier-sized cardstock. You must cut a lid or a base and glue the sides all around, like so:

All the paper patchwork containers that I've made this week are constructed out of cheapo 160gsm photocopier cardstock which I have printed with a gingham pattern. The boxes are remarkably sturdy, because they are double-thick what with the layered patchwork blocks and the folded edges. And they don't look cheapo at all!

Big Square Box

1 Cut out the box pieces: box lid and four sides, box base and four sides. Score and crease the folds. Be careful not to mix up the box lid and the box base, because they are of slightly different dimensions. The box lid must, of course, be bigger than the box base in order to fit on top. (Might be a good idea to make a small pencil mark on the wrong side of the lid.)

2 Cut out and make the patchwork blocks. You need four for the box lid and eight to go around the box. Note how by rotating the position of the Sun Ray block (on the HOTP template), a circular pattern is created. Because the box bottom must be slightly smaller than the lid, you must very slightly overlap or trim one of the patchwork blocks on each box bottom side:

Just skootch it over a smidge when you glue it in place.

3 Next, glue the lid sides onto the lid and the box sides onto the base. Use tacky PVA glue. I use a cocktail stick as an applicator.

4 To assemble the lid and box bottom, fold the sides up and glue the adjacent tabs. Then fold the lengthwise flaps to the inside and glue them down - you only need to glue the bottom edges of the flaps.

Your Big Box is now finished. If you want to add a bit of stealth luxury (like the concept of a fur-lined raincoat), then you can add liners inside the box lid and box base. Decorate the liners with patchwork blocks - or simply use contrast cardstock. Nice surprise factor.

I read that ginghams are trendy this season -  not that they ever go out of style where patchwork is concerned. Here are some freebie printable papers for you. (Yes, I made them myself.):

NavyGingham.pdf
HotPinkGingham.pdf
PinkGinghamFlowers.pdf

Tip: if you want your printable papers to look like retro fabric that you just discovered in an attic chest, print them on cream-coloured cardstock. Antique-y, aged, tea-dyed!

Enjoy the holiday weekend. Happy patchwork papercrafting.