All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Please read our affiliates FAQ page to find out more.

How to make a pop up card

Learn how to make a pop up up card by crafting this lovely pop up flower card with our free pop up card templates

Try our magazines – get 6 issues from just £9.99!

Angela Dodson

Published: April 14, 2021 at 9:07 am

It's hard not to be charmed by spectacular pop up cards. You can make the most basic pop up cards by just cutting a slit through the spine of your card and folding both sides up. Take a look at the fish card in our fishing printables post to learn this technique in its most basic form. But if you want to discover how to make pop up cards with a bit more pizzazz, you are in the right place! Ue our free pop up card templates to craft a spectacular pop up flower card!

Download our pop up card templates to craft the shapes you need. You can cut these by hand, or save time by cutting them on a digital craft machine like the Brother ScanNCut.

To use the ScanNCut, print out the templates and scan it into your machine and select ‘Scan to Cut Data’. The machine will run the template under the scanner and once it is finished, an image will appear on the screen. Using the touchscreen on the ScanNCut, adjust the crop around the image to remove unwanted areas and press ‘OK’. Then select the picture of the ScanNCut to save the template to your machine’s memory. If you would prefer the SVG file, click the link below! You can save it onto USB which you can plug into your machine, or you can import it into Canvas Workspace and send via wireless to your machine if you prefer. You can also use these files if you have a Cricut or a Silhouette machine.

Pop up card –Free SVG file 1

Pop up card –Free SVG file 2

Pop up card –Free SVG file 3

Pop up card –Free SVG file 4

Once you have cut out the shapes you need, we'll guide you through the steps and stages you need to put them together in our how to make a pop up card step by step tutorial. You can watch our how to make a pop up card video, to show you the process in action, or if you prefer written instructions, you'll find our how to make a pop up card walkthrough with photos below the video.

For more video projects like this, check out our how to make a paper rose tutorial, or discover our how to make a paper lantern project. If you are after some spring colour, you'll enjoy our how to make an easter wreath video tutorial, too!

Watch our pop up card video tutorial

You will need:

Thick white card
Coloured card (216gsm or lighter)
Craft glue
Double sided sticky tape
Acetate (Optional to add floating butterfly)

Step 1

Use the pop up card templates or the free pop up card SVG files to cut out the shapes for your pop up flowers card. You’ll need:

4 large flower sections in 4 shades of pink card
2 inner petal sections in light yellow card
1 small inner petal section in yellow gold card
1 circular flower middle in yellow gold card
1 card base in white card
2 large half flowers in pale green card (optional)
2 belly band enclosure pieces in white card (optional)
Butterflies in blue, purple and lilac card (optional)
Leaves in green card (optional)
Sentiment in pink card (optional)

Step 2

pop up card templates 2

Assemble the flower for the pop up card by folding the largest pink flower shape in half, fold over tab and glue to join into a single circular piece. Repeat for the other pink flowers to create 4 joined flower pieces. Leave to dry.

Step 3

pop up card templates 3

Assemble the inner petals by folding each yellow piece in half, lining up side tabs and join as before using glue on the end tab. Repeat to create 3 yellow petal pieces. Leave to dry.

Step 4

pop up card templates 4

Take the 2 largest pink flower pieces, and slide the smaller one inside the larger one, fold the tabs of the smaller one over the back of the larger piece’s petals and glue in place by lining up and gluing the centre petals on each side first. Press down firmly to ensure they have adhered.

Step 5

pop up card templates 5

Take the next size down of the pink flower pieces and slide inside previous flower set, fold back tabs and adhere as before.

Step 6

pop up card templates 6

Take the final final pink flower piece and slide inside previous flower set, fold back tabs and adhere as before to create a 4 layered pink flower.

Step 7

pop up card templates 7

Take the small yellow gold circular piece and gently fold in half (mountain fold) lining up tabs. Fold back the 2 side tabs (valley folds).

Step 8

pop up card templates 8

Slide the folded circle section into the smallest (yellow gold) petal section, line up the tabs, fold back and glue. The circle will fill in the centre of the flower.

Step 9

pop up card templates 9

Take the next size up yellow petal section, slide the gold section inside, line up the tabs, fold back and glue.

Step 10

pop up card templates 10

Repeat above steps for the 3^rd yellow inner section to create a 3 layered inner flower with a middle. Arrange petals as desired.

Step 11

pop up card templates 11

Slide the completed yellow inner section inside the completed pink flower section fold back the yellow side tabs and glue to back of the pink flower section. Press down firmly to ensure the tabs are securely adhered.

Step 12

pop up card templates 12

Create the card base using the pop up card templates by cutting the card base in card and fold in half at the score line to create the card base. You can also score and fold a piece of A4 card in half and trim down to 200 x 294mm to create a card base that is 200mm x 147mm when closed. Take one of the half flower shapes and adhere inside card, lining up straight edge, a few mm away from the centre crease, use glue to adhere to allow ‘wriggle room’ to adjust if needed. Repeat for opposite side.

Step 13

pop up card templates 13

You can create an optional belly band which will keep the pop up flower card closed and make it look more decorative when closed. Take the larger white card strip and fold at the 2 score lines at each side. Attach the smaller strip to each side using glue to create an enclosed band for the card.

Step 14

pop up card templates 14

Decorate the belly band by gluing the ‘Just for You’ sentiment to the front and glue a butterfly at top right.

Step 15

pop up card templates 15

Decorate card front by glueing 2 leaves to bottom right and 1 butterfly to top left.

Step 16

pop up card templates 16

Open the card and decorate inside by gluing leaves and butterflies around the centre flower shapes. Fold the leaves slightly and adhere the butterflies along the body only to create extra dimension if desired.

Step 17

pop up card templates 17

Take the pop up flower and add a strong double sided tape to the 2 side petals only –apply to the outer part of the petal as shown. Peel off the tape backing on one side of the pop up flower, position the pop up flower lined up towards the centre crease in the card base, close card pressing down firmly to attach one side of the flower. Open card and peel off backing tape of the other side of the flower, close card again and press down firmly. Open card and press firmly over the attached petals to ensure secure adhesion.

Step 18

pop up card templates 18

To add optional decoration, cut a thin strip of acetate and add strong double sided tape to both ends. Adhere one end under the petal on the smallest pink flower at right hand side. Adhere a butterfly to the to the top of the strip, at an angle and being careful not to extend over the card base. Press down firmly to attach.

Step 19

pop up card templates 19

Close card and slide on the belly band card enclosure from the top to close card and keep the surprise inside.

Step 20

pop up card templates 20

Slide off belly band and open and close card a few times to ensure all is folding down and secured and of course to admire your pop up flower!