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Does anyone have any master plan on how calculate cutting sizes for nice layering of colors and borders on card fronts? It seems a simple thing but I have the hardest time with it!
I just eyeball it...I hardly ever measure unless I'm doing more than one card of the same design. My borders are all different sizes on my layering and I hold them up together and cut to what looks pleasing to my eye.
I eyeball it also. And I keep the one layer on top of the other so when I cut it in the fiskars cutter I make sure I have the width of the border I want. I also have the perfect layers tool. It is great. I think that might be what you need to make layering easier for you.
I eye ball it a lot too but I have recently purchased the Perfect Layers Tool. It's in the Holiday Mini Catalog (105962). I got mine off of QVC before SU came out with the Holiday mini. The one from SU does not come with the hobby blade and the one I got from QVC did. I really like it because you can make any size mat you want and cutting is a breeze.
For card fronts, I subtract 1/4 inch on each layer: so a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 card will have the next layer at 5 1/4 x 4, and a third layer at 5 x 3 3/4. That gives you a 1/8 edge all around (half of 1/4). I write this down so I don't have to remember, and you can mark your trimmer as well. For images I am less precise. I make the background layer about 1/8-3/16 bigger (1/4 inch for a larger image.) hth
I do the same as Joyce in the post above! Of course with more practice it's easier to see what works and what doesn't. It's good to be a bit flexible with matte sizes depending on the card you're doing plus color combo choices make a difference to how 'right' things look! Just one tip, if in doubt cut larger because you can trim away but you can't add back!!
There are times when I will just eyeball it but if I am doing a lot of cards then I do all of my cutting prep work first so need the measurements. If I am just mounting the image then I measure it first and add the 1/4" for the next layer and then again for the second layer. I eyeball where I place the "sandwich" on the card front. I also write down the measurements otherwise I end up with a mess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by joy3ce
For card fronts, I subtract 1/4 inch on each layer: so a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 card will have the next layer at 5 1/4 x 4, and a third layer at 5 x 3 3/4. That gives you a 1/8 edge all around (half of 1/4). I write this down so I don't have to remember, and you can mark your trimmer as well. For images I am less precise. I make the background layer about 1/8-3/16 bigger (1/4 inch for a larger image.) hth
I find using a glass cutting mat with a grid, a metal edged ruler, and an exacto knife helps me cut card stock and patterned paper for layering. EK Success makes a 9 X 12 glass cutting mat with grid lines that is available at Walmart or Michael's. Work hard at conquering this skill because straight cutting and lots of matting makes cards look exceptionally well done and classy IMHO.
I cut my 81/2 x 11 cardstock in half, widthwise. then score the middle of the 2 pieces length wise to make my cards. So I know the front of the card is always 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". If you double this, it would be 8 1/2 x 11. So, for my card fronts, I always cut then at 4" x 5 1/4".
hth
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When mounting a stamped image, I sometimes go by the size of the wood block.
If the stamp is mounted on a 2 X 3 in. block, I will cut the cardstock 2 X 3.
Then I cut the next piece 2 1/8 X 3 1/8 and a 3rd piece at 2 1/4 X 3 1/4.
I take 1/4" off of each side. So for a 3 layer card the layers would be:
base-4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
next- 4" x 5 1/4"
smaller- 3 3/4" X 5"
Here is how i do it when making multiple cards:
base of card-I cut card stock (8 1/2 x 11) so I cut either at the 4 1/2" mark (for a top folding card) or 5 1/2" (side fold-more traditional).
1 piece of cardstock gets you 2 cards usually
next layer-cut 1/2" inch off of each side of a regular piece of cardstock so it is not 8" x 10 1/2"
Then cut again to get 4 pieces to layer
Cut at 4" and 5 1/4"
next layer-cut 1" off of each side so the finished piece is 7 1/2" x 10"
cut at half points again to get 4 smaller piees to layer
Cut at 3 3/4" and 5"
For every smaller element I take another 1/2" off of each side of cardstock.
Hope that helps!
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