An introduction to iris folding
A simple paper folding technique is combined with aperture cards to give stunning results. Square, round or die cut apertures are decorated with folded strips of different coloured papers arranged in a spiral.
From left to right: folded strips of coloured paper; Iris folding pattern; finished card.
The Iris folding pattern used in this demonstration is from the book Iris Folding for Christmas by Maruscha Gaasenbeek and Tine Beauveser and used by kind permission of the publishers Forte Uitgevers.
Method
In this demonstration we are using an Iris folding card fronts Christmas Tree Straight Edge. This card that has a die cut aperture. The card fronts come in packs of 5 cards and tie in with the patterns in the book. They are single sheets and when the design is complete the card is mounted on the front of a greetings card of your choice.
The design is placed on a layout pattern showing the position of the folded strips of paper.
Select three different coloured or patterned papers that harmonise together.
Cut your paper into strips 20 mm wide.
Fold each strip in half along its length with the patterned side out. It is easier to fold if you score the paper along the fold line first. The back end of a craft knife and a ruler can be used for this.
Lay your Iris folding pattern on your work surface.
Lay your aperture card over the pattern with the wrong side facing towards you. Fix it to your pattern with tape.
Take a folded strip of patterned paper and place it on section 1 of the pattern. The folded edge should be against the line of the pattern. Trim each end of the strip so that about 5 mm overlap the edge of the aperture at either end. Fix the strip to the card with small pieces of adhesive tape at each end.
Select a strip of another colour and fix this in position 2.
Add a third coloured strip in position 3.
Work around the pattern adding the three different strips in sequence until your design is complete.
The small hole left in the middle of the design can be covered with a flat piece of paper in a colour of your choice.
Mount the finished pattern on the front of your greetings card.
For a unique hand-crafted look, try iris folding for your cards and layouts—it's a great way to add color, dimension and interest to any paper-crafting project.
Iris folding is simply arranging strips of folded paper in a pattern that resembles the iris of an eye or camera. You'll need: 4 different patterned papers, tracing paper, scissors, double-sided tape or photo tabs, stick glue, a ruler and the pattern below.
Iris folding begins with a window or frame, then is built inward with folded paper strips to form the iris pattern. The scrapbook page shown uses the pattern below, and is built clockwise, following the numbers, alternating the patterned papers. Iris folds are built on the back of the window—the edges are messy—and are always secured with tape—glue won't hold them and can bleed onto the front. Remember, since you are working on the back of the window you are creating a mirror image.
1.
Click on animage to viewlargergraphic.
1. Trace the pattern onto tracing paper. Use the outer edge of the pattern to cut a window shape in your paper, tag, or scrapbook page. Secure the pattern to your work surface. Place your window face-down over the pattern so it is visible in the window and secure one edge to your work surface with repositionable tape.
2. Cut six 1"x4" strips of four different papers. Fold each strip in half lengthwise to 1/2"x4". Apply stick glue inside each strip to hold them closed. Sort them into four piles, one for each pattern. Align the fold of a strip to cover space #1 on the pattern. Tape it in place on the back of your window. Align the fold of a different patterned strip to cover space #2 on the pattern. Tape it in place.
2a.
2b.
3. Continue clockwise around the window, covering the spaces in numerical order and alternating the patterned papers. Occasionally lift your window to check how the iris is coming along. One set of patterned papers covers the orange spaces, the second covers the green spaces, the third covers the tan spaces and the fourth covers the pink spaces. Space #22 is available for the pattern of your choice. You will have extra strips of paper.
3a.
3b.
4. Trim the paper that extends beyond the outer edge of your window and secure any loose strips. Turn the window and iris over then tape it to your scrapbook page.
4.
Susan used the tags template to create her window, then built the iris from peach, green floral, green and peach vines papers following the steps above. She matted the photo on tan and peach paper, then cut around the flowers with an X-acto® knife and tucked the photo underneath. She used the embossed paper charms to add sparkle to the page and draw the eye to the iris folding, then topped it off with a bow.
· patterned Paper Pizazz®: green stripe, green floral, peach vines, peach/blue flowers: Jacie's Vintage Papers
· solid Paper Pizazz®: peach, tan: New Plain Pastels; green Teresa's Handpicked Solid Muted Papers
· Paper Pizazz® Tags Template
· Artsy Collage™ Embossed Pretty Paper Charms
· sheer peach ribbon
Iris folding instructions and page reprinted from Making Designer Scrapbook Pages. This 144-page idea book includes techniques like iris folding, plus altering charms, stamping, adding penwork and personalizing tags.
Susan Cobb is one of the five talented designers featured in Making Designer Scrapbook Pages. Susan is famous for her paper-engineering techniques—a unique style of cutting, collaging, layering and otherwise working with paper to add an extra-special touch to a handmade card or layout. She's also the author of Susan's Paper Engineering Secrets.
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