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How to Make Pop Up Cards - Slotted X with Strap - Lesson 12

Pop Up Card Techniques, Slotted X with Strap Attachment

How to Make Pop Up Cards Tutorial
This is Lesson 12 in a series of step by step tutorials on How to Make Pop Ups. 



In Lesson 11 we made the basic X design pop up card--two shapes slotted together and fastened to the base card with a square box pop up mechanism. In this lesson we will modify the box mechanism to make it less visible.

Create Slotted Shapes 

As in Lesson 11, create slotted X: Cut 2 identical, symmetrical shapes. Cut slots into the shapes along the line of symmetry, half way down on one, and half way up on the other. Slide shapes together.




Strap Attachment

The slotted X is attached to the base card with a strap cut from a square box.
  • Make a square box pop up as in Lesson 11: Measure the widest point of the flattened slotted X. Cut a strip of paper 4 times the width of the slotted X plus a little bit at the end for a gluing tab. Mark the quarters and the glue tab, fold and glue together.


  • Cut away most of two sides of the box. You now have a strap with a tab on each end and a small V shaped piece. Discard the V shaped piece.

  • Trace tab placement onto base card: Open out and flatten the strap. Fold tabs up and back onto the strap. Lay strap on your base card, aligning centers. Lightly trace each end. Mark dots to indicate tab position.

Remove strap and connect dots and line to draw tab box.

  • Attach strap to slotted X: Flatten both the slotted X and the strap. Glue together, lining up the center line of the slotted X with the center fold line on the strap, and placing the strap across the widest point of the slotted X.

Glue Shape to Card

Flatten the shape like this.



Spread glue on the tab boxes you traced onto the base card. Glue tabs to tab boxes.



An alternate gluing method is to glue one tab to its corresponding tab box, then apply glue to the remaining tab end of the strap and close the card, allowing the pop up mechanism to find its own glue point.

I confess to combining methods by gluing the first tab, then spreading glue on the second tab, and aiming for the second tab box.



Top view showing strap glued to slotted X and tabs glued to base card.