Paper 101 - Flat and Folded Cards

DIY Card and Envelope

 

Making your own flat and folded card bases is the first step in creating beautiful invitations and invitation insert cards, greeting cards, holiday cards, thank you cards, note cards and more! 

If you plan to print on your cards, we recommend that you format your card information to print on an 8.5x11 inch sheet first, or purchase one of the many professional templates out on the market, and then cut your printed sheets down to size. It's a much easier and more efficient process, and avoids trying to feed a larger volume of small cards through a printer!

Use the instructions and cutting templates below to measure and cut your own folded or flat cards in the most popular basic sizes. These cards will fit into corresponding envelope sizes. 

To save and print the Cutting Templates below, open the link, then right-click to save. You can then print the saved file.

All cut lines are shown as BLUE solid lines, and all score lines are shown as RED dashed lines.  

 

A1 - 3 1/2 x 5 inch - fits into an A1/4-bar envelope

The A1 flat card is a common size used for RSVP cards, invitation inserts, while the A1 folded card is popular for thank you notes or small gift cards, just to name a few! While cards can vary slightly in size, we've sized this card to allow you to maximize your 8.5x11 inch sheet to make 2 folded cards or 4 flat cards.

Cut an 8.5x11 inch sheet down to 7x10 by cutting 1 inch off of the long side and 1.5 inches off the short side. For folded cards, cut that piece in half to make two 5x7 pieces, and score and fold in the center at the 3.5 inch mark. To make 4 flat cards, cut your 7x10 piece in half both directions to create four 3.5x5 cards. 

A1 Folded Card Template 

A1 Flat Card Template

 

A2 - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch - fits into an A2 envelope

The A2 flat card is commonly used as invitation inserts, while the folded card is popular as a thank you or small greeting card. This template allows you to make 2 folded cards or 4 flat cards.

Cut an 8.5x11 inch sheet in half on the long side, then score and fold each piece in half to form two folded cards, or cut each piece in half again to make four flat cards.

A2 Folded Card Template

A2 Flat Card Template

 

A6 - 4 1/2 x 6 1/4 inch - fits into an A6 envelope

A6 is a popular size for general greeting cards, holiday cards, invitations and thank you cards.

Cut an 8.5x11 inch sheet down to 6.25x9 by cutting 2 inches off of the long side and 2.25 inches off of the short side. Then score and fold in half for one 4.5x6.25 inch card, or cut in half to make two flat cards.

A6 Folded Card Template

A6 Flat Card Template

 

A7 - 5 x 7 inch - fits into an A7 envelope

Flat A7 cards are most commonly used as invitation cards. A7 folded cards are used for general greeting and holiday cards and folded invitations.

Cut an 8.5x11 sheet down to 7x10 by cutting 1 1/2 inch off of the short side and 1 inch off of the long side. Then score and fold in half to give you a 5x7 inch folded card, or cut in half to make two 5x7 inch flat cards.

A7 Folded Card Template

A7 Flat Card Template

We hope you found this overview of cutting your own cards helpful. If you prefer or need the convenience and purchasing pre-cut and pre-scored cards, we will be offering these items in the near future.