We had a September wedding, and my future daughter-in-law, Amber, asked me to make a wedding card box for the reception. After doing some research on how to make these, it seemed that some of the boxes made from cardboard were a little flimsy. The card slots seemed a little swayed in some of the pictures.
I decided to make a box using a sturdier inner box with an outer box layer. The cardboard I used for the inner box and lid is a tri-fold project board from Dollar Tree.
The large mat board is from Michael’s in the framing department. Since the fabric is white, I chose a white mat board.
Here’s how to create a simple fabric-covered card box that looks amazing.
Wedding Card Box
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Supplies Needed:
- Large Mat board (from Michael’s)
- Metal ruler
- X-Acto knife
- Self-Healing Cutting Mat
- Scoring Tool
- Tacky Glue
- 2 White Project Display Boards (Dollar Tree)
- Mechanical pencil
- Wonder under fusible webbing
- Iron and ironing board
- Scissors
- 2 yards of 45″ fabric
Directions:
Inside Box Liner
Cut the inside liner from corrugated cardboard. I used a Dollar Tree project display board we had on hand. The white surface is a nice background for the white fabric I chose. A darker surface would probably show through.
There are already folds in these boards, but I cut it so that one edge could utilize the fold already there. See the picture above. The opposite side will have a crease near the top, but that isn’t a big issue. It will be glued to the outer board, facing the inside of the box.
The bottom section is 9 x 12 inches. The front and back flaps measure 8.5 x 12 inches, and the sides measure 9 x 8.5 inches. See the picture above. The dimensions are marked there.
After drawing out the shape, cut around the outer edges using a metal ruler and an X-Acto or mat knife.
Then, flip the cardboard over and, with the scoring tool, score the flaps where they meet the base. This will allow the cardboard to fold up on the intended line easily.
After scoring, take the shape to a counter or desk with a sharp edge and use it to fold along the scored lines you created. The flaps should fold away from you and toward the white inside.
Cut the Fabric
Lay the cardboard on top of the fabric. Allow 5/8 to 1 inch around all edges. This will be folded up and over the cardboard edges to conceal them.
Apply the Transfer Web to the Inner Box
Lay the transfer web on top of the fabric cutout. You can cut the web to fit at this point. Remember to leave a 5/8-inch allowance around the edges. I like to lay the web on the fabric and begin ironing it in place, and then cut it to size.
You will probably have to piece the transfer web because it’s not wide enough for this project. Just iron the large piece onto the back of the fabric. Follow the directions on the webbing. You need to be sure the iron is hot enough to melt the glue. Then, cut pieces to cover any areas needed.
You can see in the picture above that I lift the paper, leaving the webbing adhered to the fabric, and lay another piece over the area, overlapping the edges of the webbing. Lay the paper over the new piece and iron it in place.
Follow the webbing transfer directions to iron the webbing to the fabric. Remove the paper backing.
Lay the fabric with the transfer web over the white side of the box cutout. Iron over the fabric to adhere to the cardboard. Flip the cardboard over to the brown side.
Then, cut a slit in the inside corners, pull the fabric over the cardboard edge, and iron it in place. See the picture below. When you reach the end of the strip, cut a rectangle from the transfer web, and press with the iron.
Remove the paper rectangle, fold over the edge, and use the iron to press it in place. Repeat on the remaining edges.
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Next, I used clear duct tape to tape and hold the corners together. In retrospect, I wish I had cut a 2-inch strip of cardboard and peeled the top layer away, and glued that on the edges. (The tape worked fine, but I used the cardboard method for the lid and was surprised how well it worked.)
Set the inner box to the side.
Making the Outside Box
Use a metal ruler and an X-Acto knife to lightly score just the top layer of the mat board. Then, take the mat board to a counter or table with a straight edge and bend the board on the scored lines. This gives you a nice edge. If you don’t score it, you probably won’t have a nice, sharp, straight edge. See the picture below.
Lay the fabric out and set the mat board cutout on top of it. Cut the fabric around the mat board, leaving a generous 1-1/2 to 2-inch border on the short end sides. This extra fabric will be glued to the longer sides.
Iron the fabric excess over the edges of the longer front and back in the same manner as the interior box. Leave the sides loose on the shorter end flaps. Only iron the excess fabric over the top edges. (See the picture below.)
Glue the Boxes Together
Use Tacky Glue to dot generously over the entire center of the mat board piece. Set the inner box in the center of the mat board. Lay a heavy book inside the inner box and allow the glue to set up for a few minutes.
Then, apply glue to one of the shorter end flaps and use the palm of your hand to smooth it over the side of the inner box. Next, lay the 2-inch fabric pieces over the adjoining sides of the inner box.
Lay a heavy book or books inside the box on the section you just glued. Allow this to sit for a few minutes. Repeat on the other end.
Next, glue the front to the end sections and lay a heavy book inside for a couple of minutes. Repeat for the back.
Making the Lid for the Card Box
The Inner Box Lid
Cut a rectangle measuring 16-5/8 inches x 13-7/8 inches. (See the picture below.) Measure and draw a border of 2-1/8 inches around the perimeter. Use a scoring tool to score on the 2-1/8 inch line
Use a metal ruler and X-Acto knife to remove the four outer squares. Then, remove the top paper layer of the cardboard. Fold each in half. Set these to the side.
Trace the lid shape onto the paper backing of the transfer web. Iron the transfer web onto the back of the fabric. Leaving a 5/8 inch excess around the cardboard tracing, cut the shape from the fabric and wonder under.
First, draw a 1-inch x 7-inch slot in the center of the cardboard inner lid. Then, use the metal ruler and X-Acto knife to cut out the slot.
Iron the fabric, transfer web side down, to the white cardboard cutout. Just like we did on the box, iron the long flap ends to the back and leave the short side ends loose. (See the pictures above.)
Cut the fabric in the center of the slot to about 5/8 inch from each end. Then, cut from that center cut on each end at an angle to each of the two corners at each end of the slot. Pull the excess fabric up through the slot and iron to cover the edges. See the picture above. You can see in one of the pictures below that I also cut a U shape from fabric and transfer web to iron onto each end to ensure that the brown cardboard does not show through the slot.
Making the Outside Box Lid
Cut a rectangle 17-1/4 inches x 14-1/2 inches. Draw a 1-1/4 inch border around the outside. Cut away the 2-1/4 inch square on each corner. Then, lightly score the top paper layer with an X-Acto knife using a metal ruler. Bend the scored lines on the straight edge of a kitchen cabinet or table.
You can see in the picture above that I drew the 7-inch x 1-inch slot. Lay the inner lid on top of and centered on the outer lid. Then, trace the slot onto the mat board.
Use the X-Acto and metal ruler to cut out the slot. Here’s a tip: Cut this slot just slightly smaller than the inner lid. That way, the slot edges of the inner lid will be less visible through the slot.
Cut the fabric in the center of the slot to about 5/8 inch from each end. Then, cut from that center cut on each end at an angle to each of the two corners at each end of the slot. Pull the excess fabric up through the slot and iron to cover the edges. See the picture above.
Assembling the Lid
Apply Tacky Glue to the inside of the fabric flap on one of the corners. Wrap the fabric flap around the connecting side. Hold this in place for a few minutes until the glue sets. Then, glue one of the brown paper squares to the connecting corner. See the pictures below. Repeat on each remaining corner.
Now, apply Tacky Glue to the brown cardboard bottom side of the inner box lid. U shaped fabric on slot. Center the inner lid, glue side down, on the mat board outer lid. Lay a heavy book inside the stacked lids and leave for a few minutes for the glue to set.
Next, apply glue to one of the shorter sides and the fabric flaps, fold up over the inner box end. Press and smooth the fabric flaps around the corner onto the front and back edges of the inner box lid. Repeat on the other end.
Then, apply glue to the front lid side and press in place. Set the lid on the side and lay a book over the side and let the glue set for a few minutes. Repeat on the back side.
Decorate the Box
Now comes the fun part. Decorate with ribbons, mesh rhinestones, an embossed frame, and silk flowers. I printed my son and daughter-in-law’s names and their wedding date on a piece of cardstock and framed with an embossed frame from Hobby Lobby.
Tacky Glue was used to attach the mesh rhinestones to the edge of the box. I dotted Tacky Glue on just the edges of satin ribbon and wrapped separately on the lid and the box. Then, using wired ribbon, I created a bow.
For attaching the wired ribbon bow and flowers, a glue gun was used. The wired ribbon gave the flowers and leaves a base with a little more support.
Get creative and have fun making your own wedding gift card box.
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