How to Make a Kirigami Pop Up Card (Cut, Fold, Done)

Fifteen focused minutes beats an hour of Pinterest scrolling. Here is the complete build for make a kirigami pop up card - the same sequence we'd use, with the failure points called out before you hit them.

You'll Need

• A sheet of 200-300gsm cardstock for the base
• A scoring tool (or an emptied ballpoint pen and a ruler)
• Craft glue or double-sided tape - never a glue stick for load-bearing folds
• Sharp scissors or a craft knife
• Your cutting mat and a decent film playlist

Step by Step

1. Start with a sheet 21 x 15 cm, 200gsm cardstock, portrait orientation.
2. Fold in half, then draw your design on the folded edge: half a heart, half a star, a half-tree.
3. Cut along the drawn lines through both layers, leaving at least 1 cm of uncut paper at every shape's base.
4. Alternate the cuts: fold one shape forward (mountain), tuck the next backward (valley) - this alternating is what makes kirigami 'pop'.
5. For a name or word: write it in bubble letters along the fold, cut the outline, fold letters forward.
6. Open slowly the first time - kirigami tears at the base if you yank a stuck fold.
7. Run a fingernail along every fold once opened to set crisp permanent creases.

Three Tips That Save the First Attempt

• Never cut all the way through a shape's base - 1 cm of anchor paper holds the whole form
• Symmetry comes free from the fold, so half-designs are half the work
• Practice the fold pattern on printer paper once; then commit to the good card

Or Skip the Scissors

Handmade has charm; engineered has 64 precisely-cut layers. If the craft session was a means to an end, the end is here -

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Related Guides

Best Paper for Pop Up Cards · Common Pop Up Card Mistakes · How to Score and Fold Pop Up Cards

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast can I get one?

We dispatch in 1-3 business days. Standard US shipping is $8 (free over $70), express is $15, and international rates calculate at checkout.

Will a pop up card fit in a standard envelope?

Most come with a matching custom envelope sized to the folded card, so mailing is as easy as a regular card. Oversized designs may need extra postage - see our guide on how to mail a pop up card for specifics.