Flowers Woven Stems Pop Up Card

 

This A6 side-fold card features a slashed 
interior pop out folded panel into which seven narrow 

flower stems are woven. 

(NOTE unequal woven panel halves 

prevent card to opening up 100% flat.)
Blossoms adorn tops of stems, 

with leaves attached to panel.

 Interior offset panel has cut out upper corners 

to provide a decorative backdrop. 

On card’s front, offset accent panel can hold 

scalloped and plain oval frame. 

Designate this floral card to be a Mother’s Day card 

by placing the “Happy Mothers Day Hearts Word Art” 

on the front panel, print & cut "Bouquet" tag on the inside

(separate designs).

Coordinated envelope design also available: 

“Env Flourish Flap One Piece A6”. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base (A6 size, side fold)

B inner card accent panel with flourish upper corners

C pop out panel with weaving cuts

D stems, 7 different lengths to fold at vertical center

NOTE: keep the strips in order as they are

cut, to assemble the pop out design

E flower accents with centers (7 total)

F leaves left & right (8-9 total of two colors)

G front accent panel (solid, or alt. oval cut out version)

H scalloped oval frame   I plain oval frame overlay

2. Prepare the front accent panel by centering and attaching

the plain oval frame over the scallop frame with inner

opening cut edges aligned as precisely as possible.

Then position and attach the frame assembly onto

the center of the front panel. Press under a heavy flat

weight until adhesive is dry (if using liquid glue).

3. Locate the small cut mark at the vertical center of

the first stem shape, both at top and at bottom.

Use straight edge and fine stylus or other scoring tool

to score a line down center of stem strip.

(NOTE this image shows scoring from front side,

but it may be better to score from back if cuts

are sufficiently visible.)

4. Carefully bend, fold and sharply fold at

the center score line. Apply glue between backsides

and press to attach the folded sides together.

Quickly press the glued-up stem under a heavy flat weight

such as this muslin covered re-purposed free weight bar,

for several hours or overnight, until completely dried.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 for all stems.

6. Prepare the pop out panel by bending at center

perforation line as "mountain" fold, at side tabs

perf lines as "valley" folds.

NOTE that you can tell correct orientation of the panel

by noting where the "center" cut lines will be just to

the left of the center perforation lines when north/south

is correct.

7. To assist the stems to weave between the cut lines,

obtain a very fine rod tool, such as a wooden skewer

or orange stick. Starting at left edge, insert the tool

(a narrow knitting needle is shown here) under

the top edge, then alternate over and under down

the series of cuts. Remove the tool.

8. At the second column of cut lines, thread the tool

over the top edge, then alternate down the remaining

cut lines column.

Continue across the panel, taking particular care at

the center column of cut lines which fall very near to

the center perforation lines.

10. Beginning at the bottom left edge of panel, 

thread the top rounded end of stem #1 through

the "shed" that was created with the rod tool previously

until it can be pulled . . .

. . . and adjusted with just 1/2" remaining beyond

bottom edge of panel. Center within the cuts

column so that it is vertical and parallel to perf lines.

Discreetly apply dabs of glue between the stem

and panel to keep in adjusted place.

12. Repeat the weaving of stems in order,

aligning bottom stem points, and making sure that

stems remain parallel to each other and side edges.

NOTE that the bottom points will alternate slant

directions.

11. Prepare the inner accent panel by bending at

the center perforation as "valley" fold.

12. Position the pop up woven panel assembly over

the inner panel, and insert the first side tab into

the slot and push through so that cut edge aligns

with tab perf line.

On the backside, apply glue to the face of the tab . . .

. . . then press to attach in place.

(Tab should be directed outward, toward panel side.)

13. Insert the second side tab into slot and repeat

the gluing of tab in place to backside, except . . .

. . . be aware that the woven stems panel is NOT

symmetrical so that the assembly cannot be flattened

on work surface to apply pressure to flaps. 

Instead, keep the assembly somewhat closed while

fingertip pressure is applied along the slit.

Take care from this point on that card assembly

remains somewhat closed, as this image shows,

flattened to open position about as far as possible.

14. Prepare the flowers by positioning and attaching

the circle centers onto blossom shapes.

Then apply dabs of glue to stem tips, and . . .

. . . attach flowers to stem tips in selected order.

NOTE that the flowers at sides may need to be

adjusted inward or rotated so that it won't interfere

with the closing of the card.

15. Refer to finished sample card for one suggested

layout for leaves, then position and attach leaves

onto various stems or to the pop up panel.

16. Position the completed inner panel with pop up

onto the opened, face down card base, align the

right half of base panel . . .

. . . with perforation folds tucked snugly together,

inner panel edges offset inside base panel edge,

and attach in place. (Recommend using double-stick

permanent tape plus liquid glue at

the flourish narrow cut outs.

17. Apply adhesives to the backside of second interior

panel, then bend the front base panel over to align

and securely join in place.

This completes the basic version of this card.

18. Consider completing the card by adding

a couple of separate design embellishments,

such as the Flowers In Mom's Bouquet tag 

on front, or . . .

. . . or inside the card.

Or the Happy Mother's Day welded word cut 

to front of card as shown here.