Iris Folding
"Iris Folding is a paper craft technique that involves folding strips of colored paper in such a way to form a design. The center of the design forms... -- a shape reminiscent of the iris of an eye of of a camera lens. Wikipedia"
Making a card with the Iris Folding Technique gives you a spectacular result! If you have never made a card using this paper folding technique, it looks a lot more complicated than it actually is. It's easy to learn how to do this.
In this example, I have used a square shaped aperture, but there are many other patterns. I will provide a link to some for you at the bottom of the page.
Get ready to 'wow' someone!
You will need:
- A card blank that you can cut a window aperture in
- A craft knife and cutting board or a large square punch
- A plain piece of cardstock to punch or cut a slightly smaller square aperture from to use as a frame inside the main aperture
- A square pattern for your folds
- Non permanent adhesive for the pattern
- Adhesive for the paper strips
- Some clear packing tape for the completed design
- Some backing paper or cardstock for the completed aperture
- Four different types of thin paper to make your folds (or you can use unfolded cardstock, ribbons, origami paper, etc - as long as it is thin) in contrasting or coordinating colours and/or patterns
- A bone folder can be handy if you are going to be folding your strips of paper
What to do:
- Cut or punch your main aperture, and make a smaller aperture from the second piece of cardstock. Adhere the two layers together
- Position the pattern over the right side of the aperture so you can see it from the wrong side. Use the non permanent adhesive to fix the pattern in place
- Cut 1" strips out of the thin paper (or 1/2" strips of cardstock) - four of each colour. Fold the 1" papers in half and make sharp creases of the folds with the bone folder. You can use ink to edge the 1/2" piece strips of cardstock if you like. Glue the fold in the paper strips so they lie flat
- Using the pattern guide, start placing the strips of paper around your aperture and adhere them in place. Trim the ends of the paper to a reasonable length
- You can keep going till you completely fill the aperture, or stop short of filling it and place a special image in the middle (like a small picture or a stamped image), or glitter paper or other embellishment
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Use your amazing image on a card front any way you wish but be sure to find someone to 'wow' with your lovely iris folds!
Other ideas
- Use foils or glittery papers in your design
- Try using origami papers or rice papers to make your paper folds
- Incorporate Iris Folding into your scrapbook pages or off the page projects
- Use embossing powder on the edges of the paper folds to add interest, or stamp and emboss the stamped images as I have done in the series of Iris Fold Fan Cards in the slide show at the top of the page.
Are you ready for some more complex designs now? Try searching Circle of Crafters for some great, free new designs!
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