By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by My Fun Place.
An envelope you fold yourself beats a store-bought one for anything handwritten. This version starts from a single sheet, uses no adhesive at all, and closes with a flap that slides into a pocket built from the earlier folds.
The method comes from My Fun Place on YouTube. Most of it is straightforward corner-to-center folding. Two steps need attention: the light center crease near the start, and the tuck about three-quarters of the way through where the corners go underneath rather than on top. Get those right and the envelope sits perfectly flat.
Any paper works. Printer paper is fine for a note, and patterned scrapbook paper turns the same folds into something worth keeping.
8 steps · about 6 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
Grab a sheet of A4 or letter paper. Fold the top right corner across until the short edge lines up with the long edge, then flip the sheet and fold the leftover strip at the bottom. Trim that strip off with a craft knife or scissors. You are left with a clean square, which is what every fold after this depends on.
Tip
A4 and US letter are slightly different shapes, so the trimmed square comes out a different size. Either works - just do not mix sheet sizes partway through.
Bring the top corner down toward the bottom of the square, but do not press the whole thing flat. Pinch only the middle so you leave a short crease mark rather than a full fold. Open it back up. That little mark is the target line for the next two folds, so keep it light.
Tip
Press only the middle inch or so. A full crease here shows as an unwanted line across the front of the finished envelope.
Take the right corner and fold it in so the point meets that center crease. Press along the fold. Now do the same with the left corner. The square starts turning into a tall kite shape, and the two folded edges should meet neatly down the middle.
Flip the top corner down over the two side flaps you just made. Line the point up so it sits flat against the folds underneath. This is the back panel of the envelope taking shape.
Tip
If the point overshoots the bottom edge, your square was not quite square. Trim it and start again rather than fighting it.
Fold the bottom corner up until it reaches the edge of the panel you folded down in the last step. Crease it firmly. You should now be looking at a wide, squat shape with a clear rectangle forming in the center.
Fold the left corner in toward the center, then the right one the same way. Keep both folds even, since these become the visible side seams of the finished envelope. Run your thumbnail along each crease to sharpen it.
This is the fiddly one. Lift the right overlapping corner and slide it under the middle panel rather than leaving it sitting on top. Do the same on the left. Tucking instead of stacking is what keeps the envelope flat and stops the front from bulging.
Tip
Slide a fingernail under the corner to open a gap before pushing it through. Forcing it tears the layer.
Fold the bottom section up to the middle. Notice the small pocket the earlier folds created along the edge. Slip the corner of the flap straight into that pocket, then repeat on the other side. No glue, no tape - the paper holds itself shut.
Tip
For a version that stays shut in the mail, add a small sticker or a spot of glue on the flap. The tuck alone is enough for hand delivery.
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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Quick reference
5 questions, answers, and one-line explanations. Tap to expand.
1.How much glue or tape does this envelope need?
Answer: None at all
The envelope holds itself shut, so no adhesive is used anywhere.
2.How many sheets of paper does it start from?
Answer: One single sheet
The whole envelope is folded from a single sheet.
3.What holds the envelope closed?
Answer: A flap that slides into a pocket
Earlier folds build a pocket, and the final flap tucks into it.
4.Which two steps need the most attention?
Answer: The center crease and the tuck
A light center crease early on and the tuck near the end are where it goes wrong.
5.At the tuck stage, where do the corners go?
Answer: Underneath the earlier folds
The corners must go under, not on top, or the envelope will not sit flat.
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