Fold Only – Folded Book Art
Create elegant folded book art with the Fold Only method, also known as Measure Mark Fold (MMF). This style requires no cutting — only careful folding — making it one of the most accessible ways to transform a book into a decorative design. Perfect for simple shapes, lettering, or beginner-friendly projects, Fold Only offers a timeless way to craft personalised gifts or home décor.
What is Fold Only?
The Fold Only technique involves folding the top right and bottom right corners of each leaf at a 45-degree angle. By repeating this process across the pages of a book, the folds align to form a recognisable design.
Because this method is cut-free, the book remains completely intact. It’s especially well-suited for creating words, initials, or simple motifs rather than detailed or shaded images.
Pattern Styles
Fold Only designs are available in two formats:
- Measurement: A table showing the exact fold points for each corner of each leaf.
- Graphical: A visual pattern that can be aligned directly with the pages, making folding quick and intuitive.
Folding Techniques
The Inverted Cut & Fold method can be adapted in different ways to suit your project:
- 180° Folding – Both even and odd-numbered tabs are folded. Odd tabs are folded to a shallower depth, which balances the thickness of the book and produces a fuller, more evenly defined image.
- Colouring Tabs – Add colour to folded tabs to highlight details or introduce contrast.
- Cardstock Backing – Insert coloured or textured cardstock behind folds to give designs extra clarity.
Why Choose Fold Only?
- Beginner-Friendly: A great introduction to book folding.
- No Cutting Required: Quick, clean, and safe — all you need is folding.
- Simple and Effective: Best suited for bold lettering or shapes.
- Relaxing Craft: Repetitive folds make the process soothing and enjoyable.
Perfect For
- Names or initials – Bold lettering that looks striking in any book.
- Short words or dates – Clean results that stand out clearly.
- Hearts, stars, and symbols – Simple designs fold neatly and stand out.
- Craft beginners – Ideal for those starting their folded book art journey.
- Quick projects – Achieve results without complicated steps.
Tips for Success
- Choose a book with uniform page thickness.
- Avoid glossy or photo pages, as they don’t crease cleanly.
- Use a bone folder or ruler edge to press folds sharply.
- Keep folds precise at 45 degrees.
- Start with short words or simple symbols.
The Fold Only method shows how simplicity can produce beautiful results. With no cutting involved, it’s an accessible, relaxing, and rewarding way to create meaningful folded book art. With Framesmart, generating patterns for this technique is quick and effortless, giving you everything you need to get folding right away.