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Gatefold Cards - Tutorial

Written and Created by PaperCraftCentral Susan

Gatefold cards are easy to make yet they can have such impact! There's something a little bit grand about a double opening card, don't you think?

"The fence that makes good neighbors needs a gate to make good friends"

~Proverb


There is something about receiving a handmade greeting card that you need to untie before you can see the personal message inside. This paper craft technique does not really require any special materials either.


gatefold cards

How to Make Gatefold Cards

Here are the papercraft tools and supplies you will need:


  • A piece of cardstock measuring 30cms X 15cms (12" X 6")
  • Designer series paper and embellishments of your choice
  • A pencil and ruler
  • A craft knife and a pair of sharp paper snips (scissors)
  • A bone folder (if you don't have one, use a blunt knife to score the paper and the rounded handle of the knife to crease the folds)
  • Some way to fasten the two folded sides of the card together. I used brads and gold cord on one card and eyelets and gold cord on another
  • A cutting mat

Here's what to do:


  • Find the middle of the length of your cardstock and mark it lightly with the pencil. Then find the quarter points of the length of cardstock and mark those lightly with a pencil

gatefold cards

  • Now score the quarter lines on each side of your length of cardstock (don't score the middle line! You don't want a fold in the middle for this card) with your bone folder or knife. Carefully fold the two sides in to meet in the middle

  • gatefold cards

    • Next, measure the designer series paper to make a square that fits over both 'doors' of your card. Cut it out and glue/adhere it down to the entire front of the card, covering up the centre as well.
    • Make sure you glue or adhere the edges of the two front sections so that your designer series paper will stick down to the folds once they are cut open


    gatefold cards

  • Once the glue is dry or the designer series paper is firmly adhered, take your craft knife or sharp paper scissors and slowly and carefully slit the designer paper down the middle where your card halves join

  • gatefold cards

  • Once you have cut the centre open, trim the edges of the fold carefully so they meet in the middle perfectly

  • gatefold cards

    Now you can decorate your card and finish it the way you want to.

    You can also decorate the inside of your card, of course. Here I used more of the designer series paper from the front and printed my sentiments on Vellum, then anchored them down with more brads like the ones I used at the front of the card.

    I used one continuous piece of designer series paper to cover the entire inside of the card, then carefully cut it into panels to fit each section so the card would open and close easily without too much weight in the creases.

    Why not try custom altering your own brads to match your papercraft projects?


    gatefold cards, gatefold card, handmade greeting cards, papercraft


    Of course, the possibilities for decorating your gatefold card are endless, limited only by your imagination and what's in your stash.

    Have fun making your gatefold cards!

    If you make one, I would love to see it.


    Do You Have A Favourite Handmade Card to Share?

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    What Other Visitors Have Said

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    Folded Card when open Not rated yet
    Hi Susan As promised here is a picture of our folded cards, open. Desire * Hi Desire Thank you again - I enjoy seeing how the cards …

    Folded Card Not rated yet
    Hi Susan This folded card is one that can be used over and over and with variations. This is one of the cards our group did as a project in the …

    Click here to write your own.


    If you liked this tutorial, you might like to try making a stair-step card, or an explosion card as well.



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