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Making Your Own Cards

By Sue Hawkins

It is often difficult to find the right size and colour of card, so, why not try making your own? Always pad them, unless very small. Buy thin wadding or the card may distort – if it seems too thick, just pull off a layer.

You will need:

Cutting mat; sharp craft knife (small, with a good point); set square; metal ruler; pencil; sheet of coloured card (Canford card is easy to cut, with a good selection of colours); thin polyester wadding; adhesive or double-sided tape; gold or silver pen (one that draws fine lines without blotting)

  1. Plan the size of aperture, then the card (bottom margin wider than top and sides).
  2. Draw the card, on the wrong side, using the set square for corners. Draw three sections, the aperture in the middle. Pressing down firmly on the ruler and cutting slowly along it, cut the card, then the aperture. Rectangular apertures are easy to cut this way. Circular and oval apertures can be cut using the rims of cups, glasses and small oval dishes as templates.
  3. Score the two fold lines on the inside by running the back of the knife along the ruler. Fold the card, and check all edges meet. If necessary, trim the inner section, and edges. Add lines and embellishments.
  4. Press your finished stitching carefully on the wrong side on several layers of towel.
  5. If using padding, cut a piece of polyester wadding the same size as the aperture.
  6. Open the card. Check the design fits the aperture. Trim the fabric to same size as the card. Apply a thin coat of adhesive or double-sided tape to the inside of the aperture. Lay the stitching face up and place the aperture over it. Check the position before pressing it down. Lay the pre-cut wadding over the back of the stitching, exactly behind the aperture. Put a dab of adhesive or a short length of tape in the centre of the fold-in section. Fold this section in to stick on the wadding and hold it exactly behind your stitching.
  7. Secure the fold-in section with adhesive or tape. If your finished card seems a little buckled when completely dry, press it under a pile of books, protecting the stitching with wadding to prevent it being crushed.