Making Envelopes
Intro
I first started making envelopes a few years ago, after seeing project suggestions about them online. I bought a wonderful book called The Envelope Mill shortly thereafter, and using the templates enclosed in it, have made some really nice envelopes since then. My template collection has grown since then, including various store-bought and handmade ones, but my favorites are those original templates I began with.
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Materials
To begin making envelopes, you’ll only need a few basic supplies, most of which you probably already have around the house.
- Paper
- Envelope template(s)
- Scissors or craft knife
- Ruler or straightedge
- Bone folder or other scoring tool
- Adhesive
- Pencil (optional)
- Painter’s tape (optional)
- Self-healing/cutting mat (optional)
1. Paper. Your envelope can be made of pretty much any sort of paper, or even stiffened fabric, just so it is strong enough to be mailed and thin enough so it folds well. I prefer scrapbooking paper, but I also like to use origami paper, art papers, wrapping paper, tissue paper fused to freezer paper, or even magazine pages or ads. You can even decorate plain paper with rubber stamps or other materials, and then use that. Cardstock can be used too, just so it’s not too thick to properly fold.
2. Envelope templates. You can either buy a readymade, plastic template or make your own. The store-bought templates can be found at craft, art, or similar stores, and can be bought individually or as part of a set. There are even diecut machines and special cutting systems that make cutting envelope shapes even easier, but are more expensive and require special gear. If you want to make your own, you can take apart store-bought envelopes and trace the shape onto cardboard or quilter’s template plastic to make a template. You can also print templates from various web sites or design your own, using a graphics program or even by just drawing it out on paper.
3. Scissors, craft knife, or other cutting tool. I prefer using an X-Acto knife — with care of course — but regular scissors can be used as well. If you’re using a Coluzzle or ShapeCutter template, you’ll need a special swivel knife or cutting tool.
4. Ruler or straightedge. Any one will do, to use as a scoring guide.
5. Bone folder or other scoring tool. This will be used to crease and smooth down the flaps.
6. Adhesive. I like to use adhesive runners, but you can also use double-sided tape, a glue stick, a glue pen, or another adhesive made for holding paper.
7. Pencil (optional). To start out, it’s easiest to trace your template shape onto the paper, and then cut it out with scissors. I started this way, and you can always erase your trace lines when you’re done.
8. Painter’s tape (optional). This can be used to hold your template in place while tracing or cutting around it. Make sure to use one intended for delicate surfaces and take care when removing it from your paper.
9. Self-healing/cutting mat (optional). If you decide to use a craft knife or the ShapeCutter tool to cut out the envelope shapes, you’ll need to do it on a good cutting surface, like a self-healing mat. If you’re using the Coluzzle templates, you’ll need to use one of the special foam mats.
How To
Now that you have your materials, the rest is pretty easy.
The beginner’s way…
- Choose a piece of paper and place it face up on your work surface.
- Place your template where you want on the paper, and trace around it with a pencil or pen. Make sure to keep the template steady; you can use a loop of painter’s tape to hold it down.
- Remove the template and cut out the envelope shape along your drawn line.
- Place your envelope shape face down on your work surface, so you can score it.
- If your template has slits for scoring the flaps, then reattach the template now, and use the pointed tip of your bone folder or scoring tool to crease along the indentations. Remove the template when you’re done. If your template doesn’t have scoring lines, then use your ruler and bone folder to score the flaps. Your ruler should line up at the very base of the flaps and the score marks should be visible when you’re done.
- Fold one of the flaps down and smooth the fold with the side of your bone folder. Open the flap again when you’re done. Repeat for all of the other flaps.
- Apply enough adhesive to the side flaps to keep the envelope together, and then fold the bottom flap up, smoothing it down to seal completely
- Congratulations, you made an envelope! Time to fill it up with goodies and mail it to a friend!
The experienced envelope-maker’s way…
- Choose a piece of paper and place it face up on your self-healing/cutting mat.
- Place your template where you want on the paper, attaching it with a loop of painter’s tape, to keep it in place.
- Carefully cut around the template using a craft knife, until the envelope shape is entirely separate from the sheet of paper.
- Remove the template from your envelope shape and flip it over, so you can score it.
- If your template has slits for scoring the flaps, then reattach the template now, and use the pointed tip of your bone folder or scoring tool to crease along the indentations. Remove the template when you’re done. If your template doesn’t have scoring lines, then use your ruler and bone folder to score the flaps. Your ruler should line up at the very base of the flaps and the score marks should be visible when you’re done.
- Fold one of the flaps down and smooth the fold with the side of your bone folder. Open the flap again when you’re done. Repeat for all of the other flaps.
- Apply enough adhesive to the side flaps to keep the envelope together, and then fold the bottom flap up, smoothing it down to seal completely
- Congratulations, you made an envelope! Time to fill it up with goodies and mail it to a friend!
The Coluzzle way…
- Place your foam mat down on your work surface, preferably on a self-healing/cutting mat.
- Choose a piece of paper and place it face up on the foam mat.
- Position your envelope template on top of the paper, exactly where you want to cut the envelope from.
- Take your swivel knife and insert it into the beginning of each track of the envelope. Holding it at a 90 degree angle to the template, slide it along the track until you reach the end. If your knife gets stuck, just take it out and start at the end of the track, working backwards.
- After you have sliced the paper along each track of the envelope shape, remove the template and get your scissors. Cut along the last remaining bits of the envelope shape with your scissors, and remove it from the paper sheet.
- Set your foam mat aside, and then flip the paper over, placing it directly on your self-healing/cutting mat or work surface.
- Use your ruler and bone folder to score the flaps. Your ruler should line up at the very base of the flaps and the score marks should be visible when you’re done.
- Fold one of the flaps down and smooth the fold with the side of your bone folder. Open the flap again when you’re done. Repeat for all of the other flaps.
- Apply enough adhesive to the side flaps to keep the envelope together, and then fold the bottom flap up, smoothing it down to seal completely
- Congratulations, you made an envelope! Time to fill it up with goodies and mail it to a friend!
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Conclusion
There you are! I hope these instructions are helpful to you and that you’ll give them a try. For further envelope making resources, please check out the Envelope Links page.
Sudhulika said
Extremely useful and explanatory! I am using to gift my mum some of these things. She currently makes envelopes out of decorative portions of wedding cards that she receives on regular basis. So far she has made hundreds of envelops, but only as a hobby. I want her to turn this into a profession and let me tell you, this website is great. Thanks!