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Pleated Borders
by Julie McGuffee for Fiskars

Add a touch of elegance, dimension and texture with a simple pleated border.

Make an oval mat for your photograph by cutting an oval opening in the center of a 5" x 7" rectangle. Attach the photograph behind the opening then adhere the rectangle to the center of the page with double stick tape.

Score lines across a 12" sheet of striped paper. The first line is 1" from the edge of the sheet, the second 1/2" from the first line. Continue scoring lines alternating 1" and 1/2" apart across the whole sheet from top to bottom. Starting with a mountain fold on the first scored line and a valley fold on the next line, carefully pleat the paper. You will need to cut the pleated paper into eight, 1.5" wide strips. Before cutting the strips, place a strip of double sided adhesive tape across the pleats to hold them in place.

To miter the corners, place the end of one folded strip on top of a second strip at right angles, aligning the edges of the corners (pleats should be facing toward the corner). Hold tightly then cut across both strips from the inside corner point to the outside corner point. Make four corners then adhere on top of the corners of the mat at the center of the page overlapping the edge by about 1/4". Using a large rectangle template, cut a 4" x 6" rectangle from a 4th coordinating sheet of paper. Cut around the outside of the same template to create a frame. Place the frame on top of the pleated border and mat with foam layering tape.

Cut three, 1.5" wide strips of the paper you used for the frame about 3.5” long to cover where the pleated border strips meet. Attach one end with gold photo corners then secure the opposite end under the frame with a photo mounting square. Write or print a title then mat with an off white oval. Secure title with gold photo corners.