Greeting Card Folding Techniques

How to Score and Fold Greeting Cards for a Professional Finish

OK, you've spent a lot of time designing a beautiful card. You bought a really nice card stock and used the Best printing mode on your printer for vibrant rich colors.

Don't cheapen your efforts with a fold that is off center or, worse yet, is irregular due to broken fibers or marks from the wrong folding tool. Here is how to get a really professional look on this important finishing touch.

Not all card stocks need to be scored. If you are folding with the grain and the fibers are distinctly in that direction, you may not need to pre-score. Do a test using the folding technique below. If inspection reveals an irregular looking fold with broken fibers, scoring is required.

Perfect Half Fold Using a Straightedge

If you are lucky enough to have a paper cutter in your craft center, you already have a straightedge tool for making perfect half folds. Most cutters have a raised straightedge to help you align work for cutting. This is an ideal guide for folding cards.

Position one edge of your greeting card tight against the raised straightedge. Double the card and position the opposite edge tightly against the edge exactly on top of the other.

Take a bone folding tool or other smooth implement (in the picture, I am using a fat barrel round pen which I've found does just fine) and run it along the fold to flatten.

Pre-Scoring a Greeting Card Fold

If your card stock requires pre-scoring, it's a bit trickier to get a perfect half fold.

Careful measuring is essential.

I use a rotary wheel paper cutter for scoring. The drop-down arm provides a straightedge guide for scoring. The rubber strip under the arm provides an ideal soft surface for debossing; and the gridlines are helpful in positioning the card.

As a scoring implement, I use the dull edge of a cheese spreader knife. Hey, it works!

Folds can be described as either mountain or valley folds. Because we are scoring by pressing down, we will create a valley fold.

This means you lay the card inside up on the scoring surface. Measure carefully and position your card and then the straightedge.

Lay your scoring implement at the top edge of your card alongside the straightedge. With even pressure, run it smoothly along the straightedge from top to bottom. Be sure you use the right amount of pressure for your card stock and scoring surface.

Experiment on some scraps first. The last thing you want to do is cut through your card with the scoring implement.

Remove the card and lay it inside up on a flat surface. Use one hand to hold close to one side of the scored line. Gently bring up the other half to begin creasing the fold.

Take a bone folder or other smooth implement for folding and run it along the scored line.

The result: a professional looking greeting card.