Thursday, April 2, 2015

Castle Double Bi-fold Card Assembly

Detailed fantasy castle card folds to a 5x7 size,
but can also stand on its own when side panels
with towers are folded out into position,
as seen below.

Base card center and sides are joined.
Center castle with portcullis and see-thru windows
and its own set of side towers is assembled
on its own center base shape.
Then the center assembly is attached to
the center base shape for a unique
and magical card.
Scroll through the assembly details
then get started on this fun project.

PLEASE BE AWARE
that this design has been updated and resubmitted
to the Silhouette America online store. 
It is essentially the same design, so the assembly instructions
will apply to either the older (Feb 2013) or the new file (April 2015).

ASSEMBLY:
1. Identify and cut the shapes.This image (with text added here) represents the cut file as it opens from the file download. (NOTE SVG Attic and SnapDragon Snippets DSx2 cut file for Design Space has been reconfigured slightly.)                                                                                                       The layout is intended to help identify the shapes by grouping them by the panel locations, with this exception: center left and center right tall towers are built onto the "Center Assembly Silhouette" and not the side "Fold Out" base shapes.




COLORATION NOTE:
Tower or window pane base shapes
onto which other shapes are built
usually are cut from the "interior" or
"show-thru" color
in contrast to the tower color.


2. Identify the Base shapes.
At top, the Center Front Base shape has contour edges that suggest the shaped edges of the center side towers and turrets.
At bottom, the Center Back Layer base (has straight side edges that will hide behind the Center Front Base shape when the card is fully assembled) will be attached to the side tabs of the Left and Right Side base shapes.
3. Begin the center "Castle Front" panel assembly by positioning and attaching the castle front "Center Assembly Silhouette" onto the "Center Front Base". The silhouette shape is offset (outer margin of base shows) a scant 1/8" all around.

4. Assemble l & r cone/pennant units, window "pane" with frame unit, then attach all the shapes as shown.

5. Portcullis (iron grille gate) is centered in the lower opening with the top bar glued in place to the Castle Front. Gate opening with decor strip are then attached over it.




Also note that the Gothic (pointed top) arch window decor shape does not match up exactly with the cutout opening, as you can see here from the backside the center panel assembly.














6. Assemble the center front side towers (these shapes are not offset, but have corresponding side edges that should line up exactly). 

On the right side of this image, the tall narrow and shorter towers are shown as shapes. On the left side of the tower assembly, you can see where they are attached.

Attach tall tower, then shorter. Base silh edges will help with cone roof positioning.


Here you can see the completed Castle Center Panel with all the decor shapes in place.














7. Assemble the side panel, tall and med tall towers. 

On the right of this image, the panel with contr strip, and the two towers with base shape, overlay and top details are shown as shapes.

On the left, the panel and two towers are attached in place.

NOTE: side panel base and overlay have perforations. Fold each to match -- mtn fold at "tab" perf; valley fold at side perf.


8. Apply adhesive to the Center Back Layer panel only, then position, adjust to line up top contour edges and gate/window openings, and attach.

NOTE: narrow side portions of the Center Front Panel will not attach . . .












. . . but remain free so that the side panels can fold back at the tab perforation, as is indicated here by the pointing finger at lower right of the image.








That completes the castle card assembly.
Lots of shapes and pieces,
but details are what make designs unique and wonderful.

5 comments:

  1. Stunning absolutely stunning. Ann xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! I don't know any little girl who wouldn't absolutely adore this card!

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  3. About to cut out and make this up for a special 5th birthday card. I am sure that she will LOVE it.

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  4. There are two cards that look identical on the Silhouette Store, one that I own is called: castle shaped 4-fold card 5x7 but there is another one "castle a7 card fold out sides" and I would like to know if they are different and therefore I should buy the newest one as well or are they the same card as they both lead to this one tutorial to be built.

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    Replies
    1. Melitta, so sorry for the confusion. We kind of anticipated that there might be some. Following several requests, including one from Silh America, I constructed and built the double bi fold card so that I could photograph it for a tutorial. At the same time, I redesigned some of it. When I submitted the new design, I requested that Silh Am remove the earlier card. They chose not to. I would buy the newer card if you have not purchased one. If you already have the earlier card, the construction is very similar. the newer design may have a couple more cutout windows, if I recall. Otherwise, the fold out sides, etc. are constructed the same. The tutorial uses the newer cuts as the model. Hope this helps.

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