Concertina Folder and Pocket: Musical Nostalgia Mini Album Part 5

Hi and welcome to Part 5 of my mini album tutorial: Concertina Folders. As usual, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me via the Plannercraft Facebook page. The tutorial will actually be at least 10 parts in length as opposed to the 6 originally planned. It is bigger than anticipated because I had extra of the beautiful papers to play with.

Also, in the final part of this tutorial, we will have pockets need to fill. We will make little tags and booklets to fill them with the paper scraps we have left. I will also show you how to make collage tags with the tiny scraps, so don’t throw anything away! Try to always cut the papers from the right hand edge, and then you return the offcuts to your binding. This will keep them safe for future steps in this project.

The first part of this concertina folder tutorial is quite complicated although it looks simple

You will need the reverse of the tunnel base page from last week and:

• Black Card
• Musical Nostalgia papers
• Antique Linen Distress Ink
• Small circle die
• Brads
• Thread

Creating the Concertina Folder

This type of pocket is perfect to use whenever you need a pocket to have capacity.

Start by cutting 2 x pieces of black card 2″ wide by 4½” high. Score these at ½”, 1″ and 1½”, fold and burnish to create a ‘W’ shape. These will form your 2 side pieces, mitre just the bottom of these pieces and leave the top level.

Cut a piece of card the width of your page and 1½” wide. Score this at ½”, ¾” and 1″, and fold all score lines outwards. This will create the bottom of the pocket and, next, mitre both corners.

Cut another piece of card the width of your page and 4½” high. Adhere your 2 side hinges to the sides of this piece using the first ½” score. Ensure that the centre mountain fold is on the inside. Then, adhere the bottom piece of card, ensuring that the fold is outwards. Next, attach the outer part to the 2 side pieces to create a pocket effect.

Creating the Pocket Flap

Now, you need to make the flap for the pocket to hold in your concertina folder.

Cut a piece of card the width of your pocket and 3¾” deep. Score at ½” and ¾” fold, burnish and mitre the edges and, if you like, round the bottom corners. Then, adhere to the top back of your pocket hinges only. Do not stick to the front panel, otherwise the pocket will not open – I speak from experience!

The closure is made from cutting 2 small circles from the paper and 4 circles of the same size from a scrap of black card. Stick 2 of the black circles together and cover with one of the paper circles. Make 2 of these and push a brad through each, set these to one side for now.

Adhere your pocket to the base page of your album. Be careful to only place the glue on the hinges and back flap of your pocket, do not glue the pocket hinge, make sure the flap opens freely. To show what I mean, I have placed red liner tape on my pocket.

Decorating the Concertina Folder

Cover your front pocket and your front flap with the paper you have chosen. Don’t forget to ink your edges with Antique Linen. Then, making sure you have placed a lot of protection behind both, make your holes for the brads to go through.

Cover the inside of your top flap making sure to secure the back of the brad firmly down. Then, cut a small piece of card to cover the brad inside the big pocket. Then, cut a piece of paper to go inside the pocket. Remember, you don’t have to go all the way to the bottom as the inside will only be seen a little way down. Cut a length of thread and tie one end in a knot behind one of the circles, wrap around a few times and cut off. This makes the closure.

Creating the Small Pocket

To make the top pocket, take a piece of card and score at ½” and ⅝” on one side and the bottom. Measure the width of your base and mark your card. Then, add the extra ½” and ⅛” for the other side. Cut, score and burnish your card and mitre the hinge. Cut to a small pocket size, mine was 1½” high after making the hinges. To make the top flap, measure the total distance from the top of your pocket to the pocket below, and add about 1-2mm. This adds space to allow the bottom pocket flap to open freely. Score at ½” and ⅝” fold and burnish. Mitre the hinge and adhere to your base page at the top. Finally, cover your base area in your chosen paper. Adhere your pocket and cover with paper.

Page 2 of your album is now complete. Next week we will start on page 3.

See you then, take care everyone

Lynda xx