Folding Your Own Envelope -Origami Style

Intro: Folding Your Own Envelope -Origami Style

Fold your own envelope from a single sheet of A4 or letter sized paper.

STEP 1: Start With Letter Sized (or A4) Sheet of Paper.

begin with a letter or A4 sized sheet. Whatever you write on the reverse side of the sheet will be wholly contained inside the final sheet.

STEP 2: Fold One Corner Underneath Fully As Shown.

STEP 3: Unfold Same Corner.

STEP 4: Repeat Mirror Image.

STEP 5: Unfold Again

same as previous side

STEP 6: Fold Through Centre Where Fold Intersects the Point of Intersection of Folds 2 & 4.

STEP 7: Unfold All and Begin a "butterfly Fold" of Sheet As Shown.

STEP 8: You Should End Up With What You See Here.

STEP 9: This Shows the Reverse Side of That Same Fold From 8

STEP 10: Fold the Corner of This Newly Formed Flap As Shown.

STEP 11: Repeat Same for Other Side.

STEP 12: Fold Pockets.

place your finger inside the pocket that is created and you should be able to end up with a boxish pocket.

STEP 13: Crease the Sides of This Box Down.

STEP 14: Finished Step 13.

STEP 15: Same As 13. and 14. for Other Side.

STEP 16: Fold Corner of New Box Up Into Opposing Corner.

getting tricky now,

STEP 17: Same for Other Side.

STEP 18: Fold the Envelope Tongue

Fold up little tongue that is left between those last two guys

STEP 19: With Some Luck It Should Look Like This

STEP 20: Fold Nose Over.

fold the entire nose over at the top of the boxes you folded in 13 & 14.

STEP 21: Tuck Nose Under Tongue

you need to tuck this new nose under the tongue you folder up in 18.

STEP 22: Tuck Underneath

here it is being tucked underneath. this is where you will later close the envelope into.

STEP 23: Voila. Getting Close.

STEP 24: Fold From Sides.

STEP 25: Same Other Side.

STEP 26: Fold Corners

now fold the corners of these new pieces over as shown.

STEP 27: Fold Other Corner

again on other side.

STEP 28: Tuck Under Previous Folds

this whole new flap can now be tucked under your previous folds. here it is intucked.

STEP 29: From: Flap

and here it is tucked. a convenient flap to write your name on!

STEP 30: You Can Address and Stamp the Other Side and It's Legal Postage!

pushingtheenvelope.ai is an illustrator file so you can add your own graphics for printout.

pushingtheenvelope.jpg has my howtoon graphics and should hopefully print correctly to letter sized paper in portrait format.

Comments

[icecubejr]

Can somone please tell me how to download the pattern it dosnt work

[AliceL53]

I would suggest screen shotting it...

[SaraB21]

I have to agree with you! I can't seem to get the file to open either!

[Cabbages and Kings]

I can't either! The jpeg file doesn't seem to be there.

[airship]

This is cool, but NOT legal to mail in the US. This is from the U.S. Postal Service Web site:
To be eligible for mailing at the postage rates for letters, a piece must be:

• Rectangular
• At least 3-½ inches high x 5 inches long x .007 inch thick.

Folded, this item is, by my measurements, 2 3/8" high x 4 1/4" long, so it's both too short and too narrow.
Not only do you not get the letter rate for something this small, you can't mail it at all.
Too bad, 'cause it's cool.

[Rusky78]

airship, why do you have to be such an arse? "legal" measurements are for bulk mailing discounts, but for a single mailing, any ole envelope will do. There's nothing improper let alone illegal about using these folded envelopes, as long as they are sealed and posted.

[saul]

i have to check on this now. i admit to not checking my sources after being told it was legal. what a buggar. i guess it is back to the folding drawing board, or using bigger paper....

[maeve]

Don't bother, it will still get delivered.

[maeve]

PS Ithink this is soooooo cooooooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[maeve]

Phew! Here in Ireland this is uncategorised, but what the heck, THEY STILL DELIVER IT!

[ANTQNUT]

wow. why did you go through all that work to prove someone, that probably spent a long time working on this envelope instructable, wrong. wow.

[cirano]

ease up. it is good info airship provided. It doesn't undermine the ible anyway, the envelope fold is still pretty cool. More info never make diy things uncool.

[kibbler]

I sent it, and it worked. Those post office peeps don't really care.

[edunbarr]

Shoot, I get stuff smaller than what the PO considers "regulation size" all the time! Post cards from loan companies, Christmas greetings from my dentist's office... I don't understand why something like this would be "illegal" to mail when I get tiny stuff all the time??

[Rusky78]

airship, why do you have to be such an arse? "legal" measurements are for bulk mailing discounts, but for a single mailing, any ole envelope will do. There's nothing improper let alone illegal about using these folded envelopes, as long as they are sealed and posted.

[dravenous]

i normally like dont have a clue how these things are done but was worth it trying for the 1st soooo much FUN thanks for the tips i can fold one....wooohooo but it took some time...now i got something to pass on its a bit old scwlish but well worth it..sweet

[stopanator]

fun way to make and no need for envelopes :)

[nate121]

i say to many steps

[maeve]

Maybe but its ok if you put it on "show all steps". I thoought it was handy because usually I get stuck with origami stuff but all the pictures and simple steps helped.

[paperairplanecreator]

dude thats so awsome! not only are you saving money, its fun to make.