Happy New Year Baby Peeking Cascade Card

Zig-zag folded "double cascade" card wall shapes fit together 

to form base that can expand forward in 

accordion-fashion for display, or fold flat to send. 

Decorate panels with offset shapes fun use 

of coordinated paper prints. 

Word and letter cuts spell out "happy NEW YEAR" 

(letter positioning guide shape included). 

Layered baby head with top hat peeks from behind 

layered fence section, with hands over fence edge 

from between first accordion opening. 

Back wall has tall posts that hold banner flags to indicate 

the new year's numbers (includes numbers for years 2019, 

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024).  

Measures approx. 5" wide x 8.25" tall when flat. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A left cascade base  B left cascade base add-on
(shown with accent shapes)
C right cascade base D right cascade base add-on
(shown with accent shapes)
E fence base "bridge" and fence
F backside accent
G front accent panel with "happy" and "New YEAR"
H letters positioning guide
I banner base with flags, flag bases, numbers
J & K firework bursts layers
L baby shapes: base, head base (ears),
head with eyes show-thru panel, curl, hands
M hat shapes: base (brim), crown, band, rim

2. Refer to steps 2 thru 5 and first frame of step 6

 in the tutorial for similar

"Halloween Cat Peeking Dbl Cascade Card" design

 to complete the joining of cascade bases

left & right with corresponding add-ons,

positioning of accent shapes, interlocking of

cascade walls.

3. Prepare the front accent panel by bending forward

slightly on the vertical center perforation.

4. Position the "NEW YEAR" letter guide along
the bottom of the accent panel, with the side "cutout"
corners aligned with the panel's bottom corners.
Use a small piece of temporary tape to hold
the guide in position.

5. Position each letter in sequence in the corresponding
cutout areas as shown, taking care to keep letters
parallel to the accent panel straight side edges,
and glue each letter in place.

6. Carefully remove the lettering guide and tape.

7. Position and attach the "happy" welded word cut.

8. Position the front panel across the front of

the assembled cascade walls, with slight offset

margin all around, and attach in place.

9. Prepare to attach the fireworks burst shapes

by centering the separate "head" onto 

the center shape's attached "head" and attaching.

10. The burst shapes with bases will be attached

behind the back accent shape

(shown here face side forward).

Turn the accent panel face down
then position the double burst shape
face forward onto back of panel,
matching up the "valley" edges
and side edges of each, then attach.

11. Repeat to position and attach the single burst

assembly on top of previously-placed pairs burst

and panel.

12. Turn the accent panel with attached bursts

 face forward then position and attach

to card assembly backside, with narrow offset

margin all around.

13. Refer to steps 12-14 of similar cascade card

"Elf Peeking Dble Cascade Card" design,

to prepare the flags assembly (using year numbers

in place of "NOEL" letters), and to positioning

and attaching of the flags assembly to card.

14. Refer to step 15 of similar cascade card design

"Baby Peeking Double Cascade Card" to assemble

the baby unit.

15. Assemble the top hat by positioning and attaching

the band shape to the lower edge of the crown shape.

Next, position and attach the crown shape onto

the hat base with side edges aligned, and

top points of crown at top angle of hat base.

Position and attach brim shape at lower edges.

16. Preview the positioning of the hat on

the New Year's baby head in order to

determine the positioning of the "curl", then . . . 

. . .  move the hat aside to position
and attach the curl with top end even at head edge.
Then replace and attach the hat over baby's head.

17. Position and attach fence accent on fence base.
18. Position - centered - baby assembly behind fence
with bottom edges of each aligned, and attach in place.

19. Position and attach the hands on front of
the fence, exactly over the corresponding positions
of hand outlines of baby base shape.

20. Apply adhesive to front of side flange tabs,
then insert the fence panel/baby assembly
into the first "tunnel" of the cascade walls assembly,
center, align bottom edges of all, then attach
flanges to the walls they touch.

Here is the completed card.

Display the card by slightly spreading
the sections forward.

Patchwork Evergreen Shaped 5x7 Card

Go totally patchwork or select more limited pattern play 

for this shaped card that fits into a 5x7 envelope. 

Triangles in gradated sizes across four tiers plus 

stubby trunk are composed on a front silhouette, 

then attached to the offset card front with base. 

Back side panels have a perforation that will allow 

each to swing away from tree shape to form 

a triangular "stand". 

A simple sentiment tag can be put on 

outside back panel, or inside behind card front. 

Measures approx. approx. 5x7 when closed. 

ASSEMBLE: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card base (offset margin around tree shape)
B & C left and right back panels (include perforations)
D assembly base
E trunk
F tier 4 shapes
G tier 3 shapes
H tier 2 shapes
I tier 1 shapes
Not shown: message medallion

2. Position and attach the trunk shape onto 

the silhouette base shape at center bottom 

where edges match up.

3. Position and attach the left shape on bottom

(tier 4) shape where side and bottom edges

match up.

4. Position and attach the next shape to
the right of first shape, abutting edges, and
matching top edges, overlapping the trunk shape.

5. Position and attach the next shape in similar
manner, with center straight edges  snugged up
against each other, tops and bottom tips matched.
6. Position and attach the final right shape
as for the first shape on this tier, snugged up
to the adjacent shape edge, top even, left side
and bottom edges aligned with silhouette base.

7. Repeat steps 3-6 for next tier (#3), and then
for tiers #2 and #1.

8. Prepare the card base by bending forward

on the vertical perforation lines of each back shape.

9. Position the card front side point edges over
the corresponding back shape, backsides together,
and cut edges lined up as precisely as possible.

10. Repeat for the opposite side.
The two back sides can overlap to close card 
into flat position.

Also NOTE that the back panels can swing
outward to provide the self stand for the tree.

11. Position the composed front card silhouette
assembly onto the front card base, with even
offset margin all around.

12. If desired, position and attach the message

plaque on the backside of card front

(with back panels in open position). Or . . . 

. . . plaque can fit on the outer back panel layer.

Here is the completed card.

Santa Primitive Shaped Stitched Card

Simple shapes compose this Santa Head, 

with dimensional tiny rosette "tassel" 

that can be tied with twine bow accent. 

Mustache and beard are accented using 

hand-applied blanket over-edge stitching. 

(Separate substitute shapes also included 

to omit the stitching if preferred.) 

Structure allows card to be displayed as self-standing. 

Card base back includes perforation to allow it 

to bend out of the way to reveal space for 

message plaque to be attached behind card front. 

Measures approx. 5" wide x 6.625" long when folded 

(fits into a 5x7 envelope.)

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card base front   B card base back (with perforation)
C sentiment "label"   D card base front back "cover"
F silhouette for assembling card front shapes
G beard shape  H mustache shape
I face with eye cutouts  
J hat fur shape    K hat shape
L hat tassel rosette pleating strip with 
front and back button discs

2. Position beard shape over the silhouette base

and match up the beard stitching holes over

the silhouette shape; attach in place.

Using an awl or other pointed instrument or darning
needle will help make sure holes are aligned.

3. Position the silhouette/beard assembly
over the card front base and line up the
stitching holes over the inner holes on
card front. NOTE: the outer stitching holes
of base will fall near the edge of the beard edge.
Attach in place.

Use the sharp tool to align stitching holes.

4. Select and cut a long length of

the stitching "thread". The sample

uses black DMC perle cotton no.12.

Embroidery floss (6 strands as twisted in skein)

is another good choice.

Thread onto a blunt tapestry needle.

5. Anchor the lead end with a small piece of cello tape
near the end of the stitching holes run that makes
best sense for the dominant hand of the stitcher -
right side in this case.

6. NOTE the stitching style for the beard imitates 

a blanket stitch, but is actually a back stitch

where the needle will pass through some holes

more than once.

Begin the stitching run by inserting the needle

from backside up to front in the top-most hole

which is on the outer row, and . . . 

. . . pull up slack.

7. Insert the needle downward through the next

hole on the outer row (through base only)

and pull up slack (pull up for each successive step

unless otherwise indicated).

8. Insert needle upward through hole inward
from last hole stitched through that pierces beard,
then insert needle downward through the previous
hole that completed the first stitch in beard outline.

9. Continue in the same manner to complete

one of line stitches that fall at beard edge then

the next perpendicular stitch inward in sequence.

10. At the "space" where the mustache overlay will

be placed, the stitches are omitted, since they will

not show. The first section of stitches ends with

the beard edge stitch, then the thread moves across

the space on the backside then the stitching begins

again with the beard edge stitch.

11. Continue to stitch across bottom, skip 

the second mustache overlap transition,

then complete the final stitches, ending with

the final beard edge stitch where the needle

will insert from front toward back.

12. On the backside, trim excess thread

with about a 1 inch tail, and anchor the tail

with a small piece of cello tape.

13. If a second length of thread is needed,

tie off  first piece with tape and tie on new length

with tape, as can be seen on the backside

of the assembly in this image.

14. The mustache "applique" is blanket stitched

in a more conventional stitching pattern.

Thread a length of thread onto the blunt needle,

then select a starting place (recommended to be

away from any corners) and anchor the tail with

a small piece of thread on 

the mustache shape backside.

15. Insert the threaded needle through first hole
from backside toward front and pull up slack.

16. Take a "whipstitch" - which is to say, insert

the needle in the next hole in same upward, back

to front direction. Then . . . 

. . . before the thread is pulled up tight,

slip the needle through the loop.

Pull up the stitch only moderately tight,

to allow for the final connecting stitch to be made.

17. Continue the whipstitch plus inserting needle

through loop action to add stitching to the edge

of the mustache shape. NOTE that at the tips,

two stitches are taken through the same hole.

Endeavor to keep the top loop of each stitch

positioned at mustache shape edge as shown.

18. Complete the stitching circuit. Then when

the final hole has a stitch, imitate taking one more

stitch, except only slip the needle through . . .

. . . the loop of the beginning stitch.

(This image shows more clearly that the needle

is under the first "loop".)

Pull thread tight and perpendicular to edge, 
endeavoring to have the first stitch appear
like all others, then . . . 

. . . move the thread to the mustache shape
backside, trim for a 1" tail, and anchor with
small piece of cello tape.

19. Position the mustache applique
over the assembly, with tips lined up
with the silhouette base shape that is
still exposed, and attach in place.

20. To hide the stitching and anchor tape,

position and attach the card front back cover shape,

match up edges as precisely as possible,

and attach in place.

21. Prepare the card base back shape by bending

the top portion forward along the perforation line.

22.  Position the back card over the matching
portion of the front card assembly, and attach
the two surfaces between perforation line and
top of hat. (If you look closely, you CAN see
the card front assembly under the left hand.)

23. Position and attach the sentiment plaque
to the inside of the card, on the backside of
the front panel.

24. Prepare the tassel rosette by pleating the strip,

working from the left edge (face up), bend the first

perforation line as a "valley" fold, then alternate

"mountain" and "valley" folds across the strip.

25. Identify the left end tab, then form the strip into

a "tube" to attach the tab in front of the first pleat

segment wall.

26. With quick set glue ready at hand (sample uses
hot melt glue), place the rosette ring on the working
surface, and begin to gather the pleats into the center,
working slowly . . . 

. . . until the pleats are condensed and the
rosette eventually can be laid flat . . . 

. . . with the center pleat edges as tight as possible.
Apply glue around the center opening edges,
then quickly . . . 

. . . position (centered) the front "button" disc.
Immediately continue to force the pleating inward
to be as tight as possible, endeavoring to keep
the pleat spacing even all around.

27. Repeat the glue application to the backside

around the pleating opening, then position

and attach the backside button.

28. Thread a length of twine down and up again

through button holes, then tie a knot and bow.

29. Position and attach at top of hat.

Here is the completed stitched Santa card.