How to make a pillow box
Short answer. A pillow box is one sheet of light card, folded into a tube and pinched shut at both ends.
For a box 3 x 5 inches (7.5 x 12.5 cm), cut the sheet 6.5 x 6 inches (16.5 x 15 cm). Score it, glue the narrow flap, then press the curved ends together.
What do you need to make a pillow box?
- Paper: light cardstock or sturdy patterned paper. Thin paper will not hold the curve.
- Ruler and pencil: to mark the folds.
- Scoring tool: a bone folder, an empty ballpoint pen or the back of a butter knife.
- Scissors: sharp ones cut the curves most smoothly.
- Something round: a side plate or a wide bowl to trace the curves.
- Glue: double sided tape or a strong glue stick.
Use scrap paper for your first try. The curves are easier to judge once you have seen them fold.
A finished pillow box
One sheet of light card, curved shut at both ends and tied with a ribbon.
What size should the paper be?
Decide how wide and how long you want the finished box. Then use two sums.
- Paper width: twice the box width, plus a flap of 1/2 inch (1.3 cm).
- Paper height: the box length, plus about one third of the box width.
The extra height is used up when the ends curve in. These are good starting sizes.
| Finished box | Cut the paper to | Score lines from the left |
|---|---|---|
| 2 x 3 in (5 x 7.5 cm) | 4.5 x 3.75 in (11.5 x 9.5 cm) | 2 and 4 in (5 and 10 cm) |
| 3 x 3.5 in (7.5 x 9 cm) | 6.5 x 4.5 in (16.5 x 11.5 cm) | 3 and 6 in (7.5 and 15 cm) |
| 3 x 5 in (7.5 x 12.5 cm) | 6.5 x 6 in (16.5 x 15 cm) | 3 and 6 in (7.5 and 15 cm) |
| 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) | 8.5 x 7.25 in (21.5 x 18.5 cm) | 4 and 8 in (10 and 20 cm) |
The first number of the paper is the side you score. The second is the height of the tube.
How do you fold a pillow box step by step?
Work with the printed or good side of the paper facing down. Keep the long side towards you.
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Measure and cut the paper to the size in the table, using the long side for the width.
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Score 2 lines from top to bottom, at the measures in the last column. The narrow strip left over is the glue flap. Fold along both lines.
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At each end of each panel, cut a shallow arc that bulges out to the edge. Then score the mirror arc, curving into the panel. Each panel end now has an eye shape.
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Fold the paper into a tube. Put glue or tape on the flap and press it under the opposite edge. Hold it for a few seconds.
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Flatten the tube with the seam at the back. Push the ends in along the scored arcs, so the curves meet in the middle.
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Open one end, slip in the gift and press the ends together again. Add a ribbon or a tag to keep it closed.
Pillow box template
One sheet with two scored folds, a glue flap and eye-shaped curved ends becomes a closed pillow box.
Draw both arcs along a plate. They meet at the fold lines, and the dip there is where you trim the glue flap too. Make each about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep at the middle of a 3 inch (7.5 cm) panel, and a little more on a wider one. A deeper arc gives a rounder box.
Which paper works best?
Light cardstock holds its shape and takes a clean score. Patterned scrapbook paper also works, especially if it is on the thick side. Gift wrapping paper on its own is too thin, but you can glue it to a sheet of plain card.
A tough paper cracks along the fold. Score before you fold, and press each line with the back of a spoon or a bone folder. For a wrapped gift that stays shut without tape, the same rule applies: a clean crease does most of the work.
What fits in a pillow box?
A pillow box suits small, light gifts. Good choices:
- Jewelry in a small pouch.
- A gift card or folded note.
- Sweets and chocolates.
- A key, a charm or a small tag.
- Tiny candles or soap samples.
Keep the load light, because the paper has no hard base. For anything that could scratch, wrap it in tissue first. See how to put tissue paper in a gift bag for a soft layer inside.
Why does a pillow box not close well?
- The ends will not meet. The scored arcs are too shallow. Score them again a little deeper, or check that they curve into the panel, not out towards the edge.
- It bulges at the seam. The flap is too wide. Trim it to 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) and glue it flat.
- The paper cracks. Score before folding, or choose a thinner card.
- The corners poke out. The cut arc and the scored arc do not meet at the fold. Trim the cut so both arcs end at the same point.
- It pops open. Tie a ribbon round the middle, or add a small sticker across the ends.
How can you dress up a pillow box?
Tie a ribbon round the middle and finish it with a bow. Slip a tag under the ribbon. Stamp or draw on the paper before you cut it, because the printed side is easiest to reach when the sheet is flat.
Make a set of three in different sizes for a small gift trio. For a table or a tree, hang a pillow box from a loop of string.
What small gifts suit a pillow box?
Gift ideas for Christmas stockings
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Small gift ideas that fit a pillow box.
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