How to Make an Envelope (3 Ways!)
Learn How to Make an Envelope (3 ways!) with this step-by-step craft tutorial for kids! These cute folded envelopes are simple to make with any kind of paper, and pair perfectly with DIY stationary.
Servings: 1 Envelope
Cost: $1
Equipment
- Scissors
- Pencil
Ingredients
- 1 piece Card Stock (or other paper of choice)
- Glue
Instructions
Traditional Envelope
- If you are using an 8.5x11” piece of paper, you’ll first need to cut it down to a square size. To do so, use a separate piece of 8.5x11” piece of paper as a pattern.
- Make a “taco fold” by folding one corner of the pattern paper down so the edges of the paper align. Use the edge of the paper as a guide to cut off the excess tab of the paper. Unfold the triangle, then use this square pattern to cut a square from your envelope paper.
- Position your piece of the envelope paper like a diamond. Position the card horizontally, centered in the middle of the diamond.
- Fold the right pointed corner of the paper over the right edge of the card and make a crease, then repeat with the left corner. Unfold the paper completely.
- Now fold the bottom corner over the bottom edge of the card and make a crease, repeat with the top corner then unfold completely.
- Using the creases as guidelines, cut out the four small triangles that your folds created along the edges of the paper.
- Fold the bottom flap in, then fold the right and left corners to the center. You will see the point of the bottom flap showing between the left and right flaps.
- With your pencil, make two small dots on the bottom flap, right where the right and left flaps intersect with it.
- Unfold the right and left flaps, then cut off the tip of the bottom flap in a straight line between the two dots. Erase the dots if they are still showing.
- Fold the right and left flaps in and add a stripe of glue along the bottom edges of both flaps. Fold up the bottom flap and secure it on the glue.
- Lastly, let the glue dry, then your handmade envelope is ready to go!
Square Envelope
- Position your sheet of paper vertically. Next, position your card horizontally, with the bottom edge of the card aligned with the bottom edge of the paper.
- Fold the top of the paper over the card and, using the top edge of the card as a guide, make a crease in the paper. Unfold the paper completely.
- Move your card so that the bottom edge of the card aligns with the crease. Fold the top flap of the paper over the card, using the top edge of the card to again make a crease in the paper. Unfold the paper.
- Center your card on the paper, then fold the right side of the paper over the card. Repeat with the left side of the paper.
- Unfold the right and left edges of the paper, then use the creases as guidelines to cut away the top two smaller corners.
- Fold in the sides of the paper, then place a stripe of glue along the middle section. With the edges still folded in, fold the bottom section up and secure it on the glue stripes.
- Let the glue dry, then your handmade envelope is ready to go!
Pocket Envelope
- Position your paper horizontally, then your card vertically in the center of the paper.
- Fold the right side of your paper over the card and make a crease. Repeat with the left side.
- Now fold the bottom edge of the paper up over the card, and repeat with the top edge.
- Completely unfold the paper and remove the card to show the pattern that the creases have created. Use the creases as guidelines to cut the “boxes” out from each corner of the paper.
- At this point you can either round off the corners of the top and bottom flaps, or leave them as-is to if you’d prefer the square look.
- Fold in the left side of the envelope and add a stripe of glue along the edge, now fold in the right side and secure it shut. Add a stripe of glue along the bottom flap, then fold it up to secure it shut.
- Finally, let the glue dry, then your handmade envelope is ready to go!