How to Fold Two Square Pieces of Card Stock into a Box

      This series of images shows how to take two square pieces of card stock (or thick paper), and cut and fold them into two halves of a box.

     The box can be any size, as long as the square piece of card stock used for the top of the box is one half-inch larger than the piece used for the bottom of the box. These instructions assume a 6-inch square for the bottom, and a 6 1/2 -inch square for the top.
     [Note: If you make the box out of regular paper, then you may wish to make the box fit together more tightly. You can do this by reducing the size of the top piece of the box to something less than a half-inch larger than the size of the bottom piece.]

     The large images show instructions, and are actual size. The smaller images are actual size as well, and can be printed easily.

     Key
     Black Lines = Cut with scissors. [Note: Cutting is optional, as long as you know how to fold the box without cutting.]
     Red Lines = Fold outward / back.
     Blue Lines = Fold inward.
     Green Fields = These show where the inside design will be.
     Yellow Fields = These show where the outside design will be.

     Click here to see how to fold a version of this box that was created without cutting:
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8p_MIq4ngU

     After familiarizing yourself with how to fold the box, and where the yellow and green fields are located, you can fill-in the two images at the bottom of this article with designs that you come up with by yourself!

     To see these images in full resolution, click on them, open them in a new tab and/or window if necessary, save the images, open them, and zoom in if necessary.

Bottom of box - cutting and folding instructions

Inside of bottom of box

Outside of bottom of box

Top of box - cutting and folding instructions

Inside of top of box

Outside of top of box

6.5-inch top square;
download in full resolution and print actual size

6-inch bottom square;
download in full resolution and print actual size

Based on a technique shown to me

by my great aunt Serena

in 1997 or 1998.

Based on designs I created

using Microsoft Paint in 2003.

Images created on May 31st, and June 1st, 2022.

Written and published on June 1st, 2022.