Good morning everyone and welcome back to the craft room. This morning I am going to share with you my Accordion Pocket Folder. The inspiration for this came from many different video’s, the first of which was Accordion Pocket Pouch by Cathy’s Garden. All of the videos I saw incorporated envelopes in their design. However, I did not want to go through all that extra work to cover the inside and outside of an envelope. So, pattern paper to the rescue. I used the double sided pattern paper pad Petite Floral by Recollections. This paper is a bit heavier than other pattern paper so it’s perfect for this project.
The Accordion Pockets
Because I am using this to store tips from my day job, I created a pocket with a finished size of 7″ x 3 1/4″. To create an envelope of this size I begin with a piece of pattern paper that measures 7 3/4″ x 6 1/2″.
Now we need to score our pocket pieces. On the 7 3/4″ side, score at 3/8″ and 7 1/4″. On the 6 1/2″ side, score in half at 3 1/4″.
To create the pocket we need to remove the 1/3″ score from one side as shown in the image below. Miter the ends of the flaps that remain to make access into the pocket easier. You can use any cutting tool of choice, but I am rather fond of my new index finger knife by Excel. Add adhesive to the outside of the flaps, fold up and create your pocket.
For this project I only made 5 pockets. You can make as many or as few as you need in the same fashion.
Now we are going to glue the pockets together. In many of the videos I watched, the crafters only used a single line of glue down the center of the pockets. I prefer a bit more stability, so on the back of each pocket I measured in 2″ from each side and made a mark.
Adding both scor-tape and glue inside this area I stacked my pockets together. When gluing your pockets together, always make sure the opening are facing the same direction. Line up your pockets and glue them together.
The Folder Cover
The cover, which was rather simple to make, began with a piece of pattern paper 7 1/4″ x 10 1/2″. The size of this piece will be determined by the number of pockets you have and the type of closure you wish to use. With your adhesive of choice covering the front of the first pocket and the opening facing towards you, glue it down to the bottom of the cover. In the image below, I have both the cover and my pockets lined up with the edge of my score board. I do this to ensure the top edges are lined up as perfectly as possible. The cover is approximately 1/4″ wider than the pockets, but if you prefer they can be the same width.
After the pockets are fully adhered to the cover, I then turned them up and folded them over to create the bottom of the folder. There is no need to make a score line, although you can do that if you feel more comfortable. Be careful to line the sides up as you fold up so everything lines up perfectly. When you are happy, remove the backing from the tape and secure it in place.
When creating the flap I did decide to add a few score lines every 1/8″ starting from about 1/2″ from top of the pockets. This way, rather than having a severe crease, the cover rolls over the top of the pockets. I prefer that look, but you can do which ever you like. Using my We R Memory Keepers/Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper I decided to round the corners on the cover. I started out with the 1/4″ round, but then changed it to the 1/2″ round for a cleaner look.
The Closure
As with most items on this project, you can choose to add any type of closure you desire. I chose to take a length of seam binding, about 30″or so, to tie my accordion pocket folder closed. To give it a little bit of style and texture, I colored the ribbon first with the new Lost Shadow Distress Spray Stain. After the ribbon was dry, I ran the Distress Ink pad over the ribbon to add more visual interest. The finished ribbon is so pretty. It almost looks like a silver ribbon and I LOVE it!
The Finished Accordion Pocket Folder
After the ribbon was dry I added just a bit of Art Glitter Glue to the ends to prevent fraying. I then added a length of 3/8″ scor-tape to the center back of the folder and glued the ribbon in place.
Below I have also included a side view of the finished folder. I like the gentle roll of both the top and the bottom rather than having severe fold lines.
This is such an adorable folder and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Have you ever made an accordion folder before? Will you now, knowing just how easy they are to customize to the size you need? Let me know in the comments below.
Have a wonderful week and I will see you again soon!
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