Wrapping a gift is an art. However, the easiest and most affordable way to do this is to buy ready-to-use bags or boxes, which are available practically everywhere. And what about taking a few minutes to make a box for your gifts? So not only will those who receive it appreciate the gift more, given the time and effort involved in making the package, but they will also bring a personal touch to the whole. We will introduce you to three methods: using cardboard, felt or birthday cards. They are all economical solutions, simple to make and will allow you to create a gift box that you will not even want to donate anymore!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Cardstock
Step 1. Prepare the work plan and get the necessary materials
With some lemon juice, clean the table well. Here is what you will need:
- Two squares of thick cardboard with sides of about 30 cm
- Glue: a water-based glue (Mod Podge), glue stick, etc.
- Scissors
- Sponge brush
- Ruler
- Paper knife
Step 2. Draw a corner-to-corner X on the back of the paper
Here are the fold lines: Make sure they are on the back (ugliest) side of the paper. Make sure, too, that they pass exactly through the center. If this is not the case, the folds will not be exact and the box will risk being a bit wobbly.
Step 3. Fold the corners towards the center of the X
Place the paper at an angle in front of you, so that it takes the shape of a diamond, and fold each corner towards the center of the X. Make sure, again, that they fit together perfectly so that the box is exactly symmetrical later on.
Placing the paper at an angle, as if it were in the shape of a diamond, is important for the references used in the tutorial. The corners, in fact, will be defined "upper", "lower", "left" and "right". Then hold the paper in this position to make the instructions easier for you to follow
Step 4. Fold the sides
Open the top and bottom flaps, leaving those on the sides folded towards the center. Then fold them again making sure that the vertical line of the edges matches the vertical line that passes through the center.
In this way you should have obtained an elongated shape with one tip at the top and one at the bottom
Step 5. Open the sides and fold the top and bottom triangles
You should now have the shape of a diamond in front of you again with vertical lines approximately every 5 cm. Let the top and bottom flaps (two of the initial creases you made) are folded towards the center. Now you need to cut these tabs.
The fold lines must run down the center of the left and right sides of each triangle. Cut the triangles along these lines to the end (when the beautiful face of the paper ends). This way you will have two new triangles on the sides of each main triangle (which is now in the shape of a house)
Step 6. Open the sheet and fold the top and bottom tips
You know the two main triangles you just cut on both sides? Take the base of both (the house-shaped part) and fold the tips (the roof).
Fold them following the initial fold line, along which the initial flaps had reached the center. Basically you are keeping the "house" and separating the "roof" from the base by folding it
Step 7. Fold the side triangles and the smaller upper triangles over them
Take the two triangles still intact on the sides and fold them. Then take the smaller triangles (on the folded sides of the house: the ones that were created when you made the cuts) and fold them over the larger triangles. They will need to be folded to the end of the cut.
Now you have got the folds of your box: the hips begin to form
Step 8. Glue the ends of the side folds
The side folds have a fold in the center which, if it separated them, would create a triangle and a square. Glue the triangular end towards the center of the starting X.
You can also use Mod Podge, a glue stick, or the regular white glue you use at school - just make sure you don't spread it all over to avoid a gooey mess
Step 9. Lift the sides and fold the top and bottom ends
Where the spikes are glued, lift the sides - you will see that they will form the sides of the box (since they are glued, they will already carry themselves upwards). Once up, take the top and bottom folds and wrap them around the sides, with the ends coming together in the center.
By folding the top and bottom on the sides and making sure that the tips come together in the center, you will form the 4 sides of the box: now you will simply have to make everything adhere
Step 10. While holding them upright, glue the sides to the bottom of the box
Everything that rests on the bottom of the box (in the triangles between the lines of the initial X) must be glued. This way you will get a square bottom and four sides vertically. In other words, half a gift box.
Step 11. Repeat the same steps you did for the bottom of the box, but cut away about 5mm from the height and width of the starting sheet
The part you have already created is the lid of the box which clearly needs to be slightly larger than the bottom. So take the same size as the sheet you just finished working on and cut away 5mm in length and width.
Now all you have to do is repeat. The two pieces, once finished, will join perfectly to create a beautiful and solid gift box
Method 2 of 3: Use the Felt Pad
Step 1. Take a square of solid felt 23 cm side and another 16 cm
Some types of felt are actually very expensive - it may seem hard to believe, but some types can cost a real fortune. Skip that wing of the store and head for the cheaper, stiffer versions - you can also find them in most home improvement stores. The important thing is that it is rigid.
This type of box has a higher lower part and a shorter lid, which is the reason for the difference between the two sheets of felt. Of course you can adjust the size to what you need
Step 2. Make a series of cuts on the sheet to create the bottom
The bottom is built on the sheet of 23 cm per side. Take the felt and scissors. Once done, you should have gotten some sort of plus sign (+), with the top and bottom triangular in shape. That's how:
- Make cuts on the sides, forming two flaps of about 7.5 cm, about 7.5 cm long towards the center of the sheet. In other words, make a cut 7.5cm to 7.5cm from the edge and another 7.5cm to 14.5cm from the edge on both sides.
- On the top and bottom edges, mark lines 7.5cm and 14.5cm from the edge and down to the center where you stopped when you cut. At this point, you will have obtained a cross shape or a "+" sign.
- About 4 cm from the edge, on both the top and bottom sides, make a diagonal cut towards the center where the flaps end. You will now have a "+" sign ending in a triangular shape on the top and bottom.
Step 3. Make a series of cuts for the box lid
Take the other sheet of felt: to be clear, the one a little smaller. It will have a similar shape, but with some slight but important differences. Scissors in hand, here's what you need to do:
- On the sides, about 4 cm from both the upper and lower edges, make a 4 cm long cut.
- From the corners, cut diagonally until you meet the other cut you just made, then remove the triangles from the edges of the nappy square.
- You will then have a slightly larger "+" sign (bigger than the one you have already finished for the bottom), also with the upper and lower ends in a triangular shape.
Step 4. Fold the "tabs"
Wherever you see a triangular shape, you are faced with a tab. You'll find two on the top and two on the bottom. Fold them at the base to make them stiffer and easier to assemble.
You're basically turning this weird shape into a "+" sign, with little triangles to the left and right of each strip at the top and bottom
Step 5. Bring the sides of the box up with the flaps inward
Take each "side" and fold it towards the center. You will notice how the central part of the sheet of cloth will result in a perfect square: this is the bottom. You have now got 4 sides around the bottom - these are the sides of the box. Bring them up with the flaps inward.
When you bring the sides up, the flaps on the top and bottom should be on the inside of the right and left sides of the box. These are the parts that will allow you to keep the sides together
Step 6. Do the same for the box lid
Take the smaller piece of cloth and follow the same instructions. Fold the "flaps" on the sides of the top and bottom of the cloth. Do you recognize the shape of the box and understand how to build it? This is the same process as before, but with a slightly smaller size.
- Fold the sides towards the center, making the bottom stand out from the sides of the box.
- Fold the sides up, making sure the flaps on the top and bottom are facing inward on the top and bottom sides.
Step 7. Glue the flaps on the sides and
.. voila! You are holding the two halves of the box in your hands which will be completed once you have glued them together. You can use any type of glue you already have, although hot glue is the easiest to use. Place some in the center of the flaps, making sure it does not protrude from the edges and does not go to the sides of the box.
Let it dry for a few minutes, keeping the flaps together on the sides of the box. Then place the box lid on the base and enjoy your work
Method 3 of 3: Use Greeting Cards
Step 1. Cut the greeting card in half along the fold
To meet the goal of this tutorial, we'll use a standard rectangular birthday card. A square ticket might be fine, but it would require a different size.
If the card has some writing that you want to cover inward, you can simply glue a piece of paper over it. This will act as the bottom of the box, and will not be seen once the box is filled
Step 2. Cut 3 mm along the short and long sides of the half card
This will form the bottom of the box. It needs to be slightly smaller than the lid of the box so that the lid fits snugly on the bottom.
Step 3. Mark 2.5 cm from the edge on all sides
You will get a shape similar to that of the tic-tac-toe game, where the central band is wider than those on the top and bottom. Do this on both halves of your greeting card.
If you don't have a letter opener, you can use a ruler and utility knife or even a hollow ballpoint pen. Basically, all of this just serves to ensure you have a perfect fold line
Step 4. Fold both halves along the marked lines
Continuously rotating the sheet, fold each marked line to create the sides of your box. Do the same on both halves of the card.
Do your best to fold the sheets along a perfectly straight line. If the folds are not done well, the box will not be perfect and the two halves will not fit together as you would like
Step 5. Make two cuts on the short sides of the two sheets
Since you are working on a rectangular shape, place the sheet in front of you for the long side: you will make the cuts on the right and left. Make these cuts where the lines you marked intersect. Remember, the cuts must be made on the short side of the two sheets.
There should be two cuts on both sides: 2.5cm from the bottom edge and 2.5cm from the top edge. You will have obtained 8 cuts (4 for each half ticket), which will create four "flaps". This is where the two halves of the box will have to fit together
Step 6. Put a drop of glue on the outside of the newly created flaps
One drop will really be enough: if you put too much, it will risk coming out of the flap and going inside the box. Make sure you put it on the outer side (the nice one, so to speak), since this will join the inner face of the larger tab. Do the same operation 4 times on each sheet.
Alternatively, you can use double-sided tape. Try to avoid regular masking tape, as it will add thickness to the sides of the card and may not join the parts together well and make your box appear inaccurate
Step 7. Fold the sides with the flaps inward
Along the previously marked and folded lines, fold the sides of each sheet. Make sure the flaps are facing in, then put some glue between the flap and the other fold.
Press the flaps against the side for a few seconds, keeping them tightly together. Make sure the flaps line up perfectly with the edge of the box you just created
Step 8. Repeat for the other half of the ticket and that's it
With glue on the flaps, fold the sides up to make a half box. Press the flaps against the sides of the box, joining them with glue.
