Stepper Card – Basic Template

Anne Clore | Posted on July 18, 2020 |

The Stepper Card is one of those Fancy Fold Cards that lends itself to a lot of design possibilities. This tutorial will explore the Basic Stepper Card, the Side Stepper Card, the Stage Stepper Card.

We will also explore the basic mechanism used to make this card. This will allow you to completely customize any card size that you need. Yes, any card size. That sounds like a little math, no worries, I will do the math for you.

Let’s get started.

Downloadable Files

The file formats are SVG and JPeg.

The SVG file have all been tested in Silhouette Design Space. I have the Silhouette Design Space Business Edition and will refer to that software throughout this tutorial.

Silhouette Design Space is a FREE Downloadable software that you are free to use.

Okay, with that said, let’s get started.

Basic Stepper Card

The Stepper Card is a fun Fancy Fold Card with a lot of possibilities.

The card itself if composed of partial score lines and partial cutting lines. These are partial score and cutting lines because they do not extend the length or width of the card.

Side Stepper Card

The Side Stepper is an easy variation. The whole Stepper Mechanism shifts to one side of the card. This makes for a fun variation.

Stage Stepper Card

The Stage Stepper can be done with either the Basic Stepper or the Side Stepper. The difference is that there is a platform, a center stage, if you will added to the center part of the card.

Notice there is a slit in the back portion. The tab on the Stage Platform is put through this slit. The slit supports the stage and allows the card can stand up.

Notching the corners of this tab will help it fit through the slit easier.

For mailing purpose, you would remove the Stage Platform from the slit. This allows the card to lie flat so it can fit into an envelope for mailing.

Stepper Card - Basic Mechanism

The Stepper Card Mechanism is really very easy. (See the pics below.)

The score lines are in blue. The cut lines are in red. and the explanation lines are in green.

Understanding the mechanism is the first step in being able to make any size stepper card.

With all geometric shapes there is some math. But, I won’t bore you with the math. I have worked out a mechanism that can make any size stepper card. (See pic below.)

If you decide to use this template, than your card construction will be a little bit different. But this is the template that I use when I am making a stepper card. I have actually made my template on applique template plastic which is something that quilters use when making templates that they want to keep and use again and again. All I have to do is trace the slits in the template onto the card stock. Think of it as a quilter’s version of a die cut template.

The green lines on the Stepper Card Mechanism Template are for placement. These placement guides help get both sides of the Stepper Card lined up and even.

The blue lines are scoring lines. The red line is a cutting line.

The score line for the Center Step has been removed. That is because this score line will change as the size of the card changes. This score line will be determined and folded by hand when the card itself is being folded.

This template allows me to make any size stepper card I need. The difference between this template and the other Stepper Card Templates, this is only the mechanism. Once the card paper is folded, the card will have to be cut to size. It means doing the process backwards, but backwards is what gets it done.

Mat Sizes

Double Mats, Triple Mats, the more the merrier, I really like the look of Mats.

My rule of thumb is the area minus 1/4 in.

But before you start thinking that you need to subtract 1/2 in because you have 2 sides, be sure to always test. You will be surprised how small a 2×2 in square is and how much of the different it makes.

I always make a test swatch to see which one I like the best. That is a good habit when you are creating just about anything.