How to Make Iris Cards

Using iris folding to make cards can add a personal touch to the cards that you want to hand out. You can choose a variety of colors and patterns for the papers to customize your cards to suit the special occasion. Although iris folding involves paper, it is not actually a form of origami. This technique can be used not only in making greeting cards, but also in other types of creative projects. You can also change the shape of the iris design that you will be making for your card.

Things You'll Need

• White paper
• Piece of card stock
• Compass or 3-inch circle template
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors
• 1 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch strips lavender paper (label A), 2
• 1 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch strips green paper (label B), 2
• 1 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch strips yellow paper (label C), 2
• 1 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch strips pink paper (label D), 2
• Piece of coordinating printed paper
• Glue stick

Instructions

1. Mark a 3-inch circle on the card stock using the compass or the circle template. Cut out this circle with the scissors and set both pieces aside. Center the circle as best as possible.

2. Mark your paper using the ruler to make it 3 inches squared. Cut away the excess paper. Use this square to create a template. Measure the middle points on all four sides and mark with dots, then connect these dots with straight lines. You will now have a square within the paper square. In this new square, you will repeat the process, marking the middle of each side and connecting the dots to make new squares.

3. Mark the middles and connect the dots until you have a total of four squares on your square paper, one inside the other. The connections that you have made will create a bunch of triangles. These triangles, including the ones on the corners of the paper, will be numbered through 16, in order, starting in the top left corner and working counter-clockwise.

4. Add the letters A through D in the same manner as you added the numbers.

5. Separate the colors of your paper strips and label the backs of each color as A, B, C, or D. Fold each one of your paper strips in half to make long rectangles.

6. Place the template flat and then put the card with the circle cutout on top so that the template shows through. Make sure that it is as centered as possible. Line one strip of color A along the first triangle and trim it so that it overlaps the circle slightly. Apply glue to the ends and press the strip to secure it. Set the trimmed off piece aside for use at the end.

7. Place a strip of color B on the second triangle, repeating the process of trimming and gluing. Continue through alternating the colors and the triangles as you have laid them out on the template. For the third and fourth layers, you will be using the trimmings.

8. Remove the template and place the circle cutout piece from earlier onto the colored strips. When you have centered it, you can glue the circle into place. You can now cut the piece of corresponding paper to fit the back and cover the strip ends, and glue it into place.

Tips & Warnings

• You can choose to fold your card stock piece in half, which will give you an open-style card. If you choose this option, make sure that you mark the circle you are going to cut out, in the beginning of this project, closer to the edge of the paper, away from the fold.

• You can change the colors of the strips or the card stock that you use to suit the occasion. For example, you can use gold, silver, green, and red for Christmas.

• Other variations of the square pattern include patterns that make the square off center instead of centered, during the template stage.

• Please see the reference and resource links for pictures to help you.

References

• Origami Resource Center: Iris Folding Square
• Card Inspirations: An Introduction to Iris Folding

Resources

• Origami Resource Center: Iris Folding