You'll need to either use my Cracker Template or a Cracker die if you have one.
Download the template for the size card you have. You can then print onto thick paper. For the crackers, thick paper works better than card. The paper you print on will eventually be covered by patterned card or paper.
You will also need 5 paper clips to help hold things in place while card is shaped and glue dries.
I show you how to use the template, foil panels and assemble the cracker in my video. The instructions below will probably make more sense if you watch the video first.
Fold the printed template along the middle of the diamonds and then cut the grey diamonds out of the card.
With the paper folded along the bases of the grey triangles, cut the grey triangles out, cutting through both layers of the paper.
At the ends of each row of triangles cut in from the edges of the paper - this creates the overlap for gluing the cracker together.
If you are printing on A4 paper you will have some extra card at the right hand end - trim at this end so that the overall length is 11 inches This should give you 1 3/4" between the tips of the diamonds and the ends of the cracker - check that both ends are the same.
Next score lines along the tips of the diamonds you have cut out, and fold so that the back along these lines. This gives you the base for your cracker. It needs to be decorated before the edges are stuck together. For now just bring the edges together and hold them in place with paper clips so that the paper gets used to being curved - it will make the final assembly easier - see the video.
Cut pieces of coloured card or decorative papers to fit the edges and middle sections of the cracker. As printers vary, and you might be using a cracker die, it's best you check how wide these need to be on your cracker. If you are foiling these pieces then foil all of them before starting to stick them onto the cracker base - see video.
I've found it best to stick one of the short edges of each peace to the cracker base with double sided tape and use wet paper craft glue on other areas, leaving the other short edge, to about 1/2" from the edge, without glue. With the glue still wet curve the ends of the cracker together and smooth down the decorative paper. - Once the glue has grabbed add glue to the other end of the piece on both inside faces of the cracker base and the decorative paper. Slide the end stuck with double sided tape between the cracker base and the decorative paper and hold in place until the glue has grabbed. You can use paper clips on the cracker ends until the glue dries.
Here are some of the foil stamps I mention in my video - they are just suggestions for decorating the panels.
