What prints
| Page | What is on it |
|---|---|
| The inside | the picture inside the card, the letters on their steps, every cut in solid black and every fold in blue (away from you) or red (toward you) |
| The cover | the front cover with your words on the lower half, the back on the upper half |
| The steps | six steps from cutting to gluing |
The card folds to half a sheet: 215.9 × 139.7 mm from US Letter, 210 × 148.5 mm from A4.
Making it
- Cut the solid lines on the inside sheet, and nothing else.
- Fold the sheet in half, picture inside, then push each letter through so its middle folds the other way.
- Crease every fold, close the card flat, and open it: the letters stand up.
- Glue the cover around it, leaving the area behind the letters free.
For a crown with a name to go with the birthday card there is the paper crown maker, and more printables for family occasions are on the Family page.
Questions
How does a letter pop up?
Each letter sits on a step cut into the fold: two straight cuts across the middle of the card, as long as the step is deep. Its middle folds the other way from the card, so when the card opens, the step stands out like a box. Its top stays level with the table and its front stays upright, which is why the letter faces you squarely when the card is open at a right angle.
What do the lines mean?
Solid black lines are cuts. Blue dashes are valley folds: the paper folds away from you, like the inside of a book. Red dash-dots are mountain folds: the paper folds toward you, like a roof. Every letter has two blue folds and one red one in its middle.
Which paper and tools do I need?
Card stock of about 160 to 200 gsm (60 to 110 lb) holds the steps up; printer paper works for a test. A craft knife and a ruler on a cutting mat give the cleanest cuts; small scissors work too, cutting in from the edge of each letter. A bone folder or the back of a butter knife along a ruler makes the folds crisp.
Why is there a cover sheet?
Cutting the steps leaves holes behind the letters. The cover is glued to the back of the inside sheet, around the letters and never behind them, so it hides the holes and gives the card a front.
How long can the word be?
Up to eight letters. A short name gives wide letters; eight letters still fit, each about 18 mm wide on US Letter. Spaces are left out, and numbers work for a year or an age.