Scrapbooking 101: Pleated Cardstock Strip

Though it’s a day late, here’s my tutorial for making a pleated cardstock strip.  These would look pretty on a scrapbook page, card, or other papercraft project.  Unlike many other embellishments, pleated cardstock strips add a little dimension without a lot of cost.  

1) Start with a strip of cardstock.  Mine measures 1-1/2 x 12 inches.  You’ll need several of these if you intend to run a pleat completely across a 12x12 page. Start making the pleats at one end of the cardstock by simply folding the cardstock inward on itself.  You can vary the intervals & angles of the folds for a messier look or keep them even for a classier look.

2)  Here’s your finished strip.  Repeat the process for additional strips if necessary.

3) Optional: If you want your pleats to lay flat, use adhesive at the folds to keep them adhered together.  Normal adhesive probably works just fine for cardstock & patterned paper, but since I’m using our extra heavy metallic brushed silver cardstock, I used small pieces of sticky strip between the folds to keep them flat permanently.   

4) Now you’ll want to adhere the pleated cardstock strips to your scrapbook page.  Apply a line (or two) of sticky strip across the entire area where you want you strip placed.  Make sure your strip is wide enough to cover the sticky strip completely. 

5)  Peel off the plastic backing from the sticky strip.  Now start by aligning one end of your cardstock strip to the edge of your scrapbook page.  Slowly lower the strip and press it onto the stricky strip for a good hold, working across the page. 

6) After you get your first strip placed, align the edge of a second strip where you left off.  Repeat as needed. 

7)  Here’s a look at the finished strip.

8) For variation, try:

• using patterned paper instead of plain cardstock
• vary the direction that your pleats face (rather than all facing one way)
• adding staples to random folds
• using ribbon instead of cardstock

For more Scrapbooking 101 posts, check out the links in my left sidebar.

Thanks for fluttering by!

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