how to make a paper wallet

Project: I hate how big wallets are and my nylon-trifold is dying. So, I did a lot of shopping around and decided to make my own wallet, out of PAPER. I am still trying to find a more appropriate paper, but this one is just normal 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper. I started with the wallet found on www.instructables.com, and made some of my own changes.

Disclaimer: there is some discrepancy between the images and the instructions, but I will try to point them out as we go.


Step 1: crease the page in all the right places.

the picture shows these creases with measurements in one direction or another. A 1/2" strip has already been cut from the top even though this is listed as part of step 2. It also has some other cuts already made in the page.

Horizontal creases
from top down: from bottom up:
2 9
5 1/16 5 15/16
8 1/16 2 15/16


Vertical creases
from left to right: from right to left:
1/2 8
4 1/4 4 1/4
8 1/2

note: the picture shows vertical creases at 5/8 and 7 7/8 inches. But when I went to load the wallet, I found this was a bit tights with 6 cards and 8 bills. So I changed the dimensions here to 1/2 and 8. This allows more space in the wallet for all your junk.


Step 2: Cut Cut Cut

a: take the 1/2 inch off the top, which is never shown in any pictures

b: snip out the tabs on the sides and top. The boundaries of the tabs line up with the creases made previously. The exact shape is unimportant. While I make the creases very precisely, I just went to town with a pair of scissors for the tabs.

c: fold the page vertically and cut a hole in the middle, between two creases. This is the card access. I used my wife's 1 3/4" circle punch from her Stampin' Up supplies.







Step 3: Fold up the bottom, glue the bottom two side tabs in place
















Step 4: fold up the bottom again


In this picture, I have traced where the glued tabs sit so that you can see them easily.












step 5: glue in the remaining side tabs, not the top.





The top flap just hides the money so that it is not as obvious that you have something or nothing inside.








Step 6: load the wallet.



You should do this before the glue dries so that the tabs can move that little bit and allow the wallet to shape better.










step 7: admire


Here is a side by side comparison of my old wallet to my paper wallet. The old wallet is completely empty. The paper wallet is filled with everything that was in my old wallet. Even so, the paper wallet is noticeably thinner.