subject: How To Make Your Own Pocketfold Invitations! [print this page] Since we are on a strict budget for the wedding, I decided early on that I would DIY as much as possible (without taking too much on), to save a dime here and there. I fell in love with the idea of pocketfold invitations early on, but websites selling them at over $1/piece, I knew this would be pricey. However, with the help of this DIY pocketfold bio, my creative mind started building a template.
In my template, I have 719 inch pieces, and divided it originally as: 3, 5, 5 with 6 on the end for cutting the pocket out. (Note: I only really needed 717 inch pieces for this project if 19 is hard to find or if you are custom ordering your paper.) However, after scoring my first one, it just didnt fold into one another naturally. So, I went to another knotties blog and found in her blog, that she had one 5 1/8 score then one 5 score, so that it would fold into one another smoothly. I tried that, and it worked (and it still fit in the A7 envelopes I bought!).
So here is how to make a pocketfold in 57 size. Once, I got in the swing of things, I could pump out 15 of these each hour that I really paid attention to it. This was rare though, because I would mainly do this while watching my reality TV.
Using a Fiskars paper cutter with cutting and scoring blades, you can line up your paper straight with the edge at the top of the cutter to make sure your scores are straight and beautiful. There is a ruler along the cutter to help you find your exact edge for your score for up to 4 inches, and there is an expandable ruler that folds out from under the cutter as well, which you will use for the 5 1/8 and 5 scores. Remember, you are only using your scoring blade (grey) at this point. You dont want to accidentally cut a fold!
Also, the quicker you run the blade along, at least I found, the lines are straighter. Make sure you apply a fair amount of pressure but not too much. You can practice on scraps for a while, but it doesnt take very long to get a feel for the scoring blade.
For the first score, you will score at 3, then fold to make a nice flat crease with a bone folder.
Here is your first scoreits hard to take pics and hold down the scorer and give you the idea at the same time, but yeah here ya go!
For the second score, go another 5 1/8 (using the fold out ruler under the cutter).
Here I am mid-score!
For the final score, go another 5.
Here is where you will see the long 6 leftover piece I ended up with for the pocket that I really didnt need in the end.
Now, this is how to make the pretty pointy edges for the pocketfolds using the template you made.
Take the opening edge and line it up against your 3 piece, then using a pencil, trace the edge onto your invite. Then cut along the traced edge, either using your cutting blade (orange) or just regular old scissors.
Now, using the same edge on the pocketfold template, invert it and draw it into the 6 edge (or 4 if you do the 17 long piece of paper). The trick is, you want the inner point of the pocket to be 2 wide. So, what I did was I measure 2 inches inside, then used that as the guide point to draw the pocket in. I used my cutter to cut the pocket, but you can use scissors here too!
Here is the pocketfold before you tape the folder in after all the cuts and folds.
Now, cut pieces of tape onto both the pocket and the 5 side of the paper. This is another pointer I found off heatherkjs blog. It helps the tape to stay permanently for the folder.
For this tape, the red tape backing helps you to see where you put the tape and position it. However, peel this off and stick the edges together to form the pocket!
And here is a stack of untaped folders. I did end up finding that doing this in steps - score a bunch, cut a bunch, then tape a bunch its easier and a bit quicker!
I used the Strathmore textured paper, which was on clearance at Mister Art because the Marina Teal color was being discontinued. I got the paper for about 80 cents/sheet, and bought up all 40 something odd pages of it! Then, I brought them to Kinkos and had them laser cut the sheets into 4 pieces. Since the paper is 1925 inches, it cut into 3 pieces at 7 inches tall, with a 4 inch tall piece leftover along the 25 inch. side. The cuts cost about $5 total, and really saved me quite a headache of cutting perfectly straight 19 in. long pieces.
Terrifically Tacky Tape (at Michaels for $3/roll, but what I did is bought a bunch at a time with a 25% off TOTAL PURCHASE coupon found in every Brides or Martha Stewart Weddings magazine). I found that I needed a roll for every 15-20 cheap wedding invitations.
So there you have it brides - how to make a pocketfolder, and it ends up working out to about 35-40 cents/pocketfolder vs. a little over $1. If you start early and do a bit at a time, its not as daunting as some people say it is. As a scrapbooker/crafty person, I found this FUN.
