Pleated Paper Tutorial

Hi there! I know I've been MIA a bit again and I have good reasons I'll share with you soon. In the meantime, I hope to encourage you to try something new today.

When I posted THIS card, I got requests asking for instructions on how I did the paper pleating, and I'd like to share a tutorial today for this simple technique. Pleating paper is a great way to add interest to your cards. I know we all have scraps of designer paper to use up ( and reams more, probably!) and it's fun and a good value to make your own embellishments.

Pleated paper also lends itself well to the shabby chic style which includes vintage or distressed items combined with other elements to achieve a soft, feminine style.

1. Begin with a strip of designer paper which is 2-1/2 times the length of the finished project you want. That's about 8" for a 4-1/4"  pleated piece. It can be any width you want, mine is 1-1/4" wide.

2. Score your paper at 1/4", and at 1/4 again. Go over 3/4" and score again, go over 1/4" and score, and 1/2" and score.

Instead of giving you the exact numbers for scoring, I'm giving you a pattern to follow. It is:

1/4, 3/4, 1/4, 1/2, 1/4, 3/4, 1/4, 1/2, 1/4 and so on for the length of your strip. A tab of 1/4" may be added at each end as in my sample.

3. The 3/4" pleat is on the top of your row, the 1/2" pleat is the bottom where the 1/4" edges fold. If this doesn't seem clear, get a piece of paper and just try it!

4. Fold and pinch your pleats beginning with the lines around the 3/4" sections. I make sure those lines are crisp and then fold the 1/4" tabs to meet in the middle of the 1/2" piece.

I adhere my pleated paper to the project with a glue dots on the 1/2" pieces along the bottom. You may add ribbon, punched borders or twine to your pleats to further embellish.

Now that you see the pattern and get the idea, you can vary the size of your pleats.

 I sure hope you'll give this a try!

I'll be back tomorrow to share something very beautiful and special even though it involves no stamps, paper or ink! (if you can imagine that <g>)

Have a great day!

 

Comments

[Ruth Gore]

1.

Great tutorial, Cindy!

[Patricia Willey]

2.

Oh what a tease! Something beautiful that's been keeping you away, hmm, Well I hope you'll be back tomorrow then! Love the pleats! Thank you so much for the tutorial! Hugs!

[Lauren]

3.

Quick and painless. Thanks for sharing Cindy!