The simple way to make a Z-fold card

I love a simple fun fold card and a Z-fold card fits that bill. I’ve found an easy way to make these fun Z-fold cards and that’s what I shared in my free Craftalong today. You can read how to make a simple Z-fold card below, together with some helpful diagrams and a template.

If you’d like to join me in my FREE Craftalongs via Zoom, just sign up for my email list. You’ll then get all the Zoom details and the products and supplies you’ll need for each one. (You do not have to buy anything – I encourage you to use up your stash!)

Here are the two Z-fold cards (yes, I know, I got carried away!) I made in our Craftalong. I used some gold foil for the decorative Tile Garden diamond and leaves on the Crumb Cake Z-fold card, and added copper leaves and some gems on the Secret Sea card:

To make a Z-fold card you need:

• Colour card base 21cm x 18.5cm (8½” x 7”) (Note: larger than the usual card base!)
• Basic White panel 10cm x 14cm (4” x 5¼”)
• DSP* panels x3: 5cm x 14cm (4” x 5¼”) 
• DSP* strip: 10cm x 3.5cm (4″ x 1¼”)
• DSP* strips x2: 5cm x 3.5cm (2″ x 1¼”)
• Cardstock for stamping sentiment and any decorations
• Colour scrap for sentiment layer if wanted
• Any stamp set and sentiment you wish – small or medium image
• Circle or square dies if you wish to have a decorative border on your sentiment

(*Please note – This Z-fold card can use single layer panels, or you can add a second layer on each panel. Cut contrasting colour panels in the sizes given above and cut your DSP panels 0.4cm (1/8″) smaller each way)

The Z-fold card shown below uses a second layer on each panel.

INSTRUCTIONS

Please see the video if you are unsure about these instructions.

Score the base card on the 21cm (8½”) side at 5.25cm and at 10.5cm (2 1/8″ and 4½”). Fold and burnish into a Z-fold (mountain then valley).

Turn the card through 90 degrees and cut a strip off the 18.5cm (7″) side at 4cm (1½”). Turned through 180 degrees, this forms the Z-fold.

Here is a template for you to copy and use:

Stamp your chosen sentiment for inside the card onto the top of the left-hand side of the Basic White panel. Adhere this to the back of the main card.

Adhere one of the large DSP panels to the right-hand side.

(If using a second layer for your Z-fold card, stick all DSP panels to your additional cardstock layers now.)

Stick the other two DSP panels to the front and front inside panels of your Z-fold card base.

Stick the long and two short panels to your Z-fold strip.

Add glue behind the small third panel and the left-hand side ONLY of the long panel. Open out the card base and stick the Z-fold strip to the base at either side, being careful to line it up along the bottom of the card.

See the video below if you are unsure about any of these instructions.

Decorate your card as you wish. I used a Spotlight on Nature die to cut my circle element – be careful only to add glue to the left-hand side – then decorated it with elements, die-cut with the Delicate Whispers dies, from the Delicate Dreams DSP and from Copper foil. The sentiments stamped in Secret Sea here were from a retired stamp set, Sending You Thoughts, for all the Z-fold cards I’ve made.

Here is a main central panel die-cut with the new Tile Garden dies for this Pecan Pie card.

Add further decorative elements as you wish – images, flowers, punched elements and/or gems. But don’t forget to decorate your envelope too!

Here is a video of how to make these easy Z-fold cards:

Why not have a go and let me know how you get on?

I hope you like this card and will have a go at making one – please show me what you come up with.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. 

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