Mar 3rd 2009 02:26:55 pm

I love doing matchbox swaps. Altering and decorating the tiny boxes and filling them full of little treasures is always fun. Many people decorate real (pre-made cardboard) matchboxes that they purchase or collect for their matchboxes swaps. However, I prefer to make my matchboxes from scratch using heavy card stock. I find the handmade boxes easier to decorate and customize.

At the Swap-bot event on Sunday I passed out the template I created and use for making my matchboxes from scratch. It is very simple, but I thought others may be interested in using it. Here you can download a PDF version of my template. (Make sure to download the full-size document using the link below. Do not use the above .gif.) Matchboxes constructed using my template will be just slightly larger than a standard 32-count matchbox (approximately 1.5 x 2 x .5 inches). You can also print and then trace the template onto light cardboard, such as cereal box cardboard, if you prefer.

Download Rachel’s matchbox template.

Instructions:

1. Print out template on cardstock at 100%. Do not “fit to paper size” or your matchbox will not be the correct size.
2. Cut along all black lines; score and fold along all grey lines.
3. Apply glue to the light grey areas of the inside drawer.
4. Fold the sides of the inside drawer in on themselves (they will be end up being double thick) while tucking the tabs into the folds of the shorter sides of the drawer.
5. Fold the outside wrap around the inside drawer and glue it in place.
6. Decorate your matchbox!

Your matchbox should end up looking something like this:

15 Comments » Categories: Tuesday Tip

15 Responses to “Tuesday Tip: Rachel's matchbox template”

1. fancythisword on 04 Mar 2009 at 12:14 am #

   This is awesome!

2. Rachel on 04 Mar 2009 at 10:37 am #

   wonderful!! I so love matchboxes… I could make 10 a day. lol.

3. Christine on 10 Mar 2009 at 4:34 am #

   Very cool! Thanks!

4. Elisabethe Phipps on 10 Mar 2009 at 3:57 pm #

   Thanks for the template. I used it to make my forst matchbox. I think it came out pretty nice.

5. Judy aka IslandBroad on 11 Mar 2009 at 8:06 pm #

   This is so clever. Thank you so much for sharing. Now I can actually use the other 8 matchboxes I bought in bulk to hold actual matches. LOL

6. Brenda on 18 Mar 2009 at 9:26 am #

   When I’m finally brave enough to try a matchbox, I’m so glad to have this template to use! Thanks, Rachel!

   Brenda

7. Swap-bot Weblog on 09 Jun 2009 at 2:21 pm #

   [...] inner drawer of this matchbox is exactly the same as my original Matchbox Template, but the outer wrap differs significantly. I constructed my outer envelope wrap a little [...]

8. Swap-bot Weblog on 24 Jun 2009 at 6:48 pm #

   [...] to create your matchbox from scratch, I have two free downloadable PDF templates that you can use here and here. You can also view lots of examples of matchboxes on my Flickr Swap-bot [...]

9. Maria Zoschak on 16 Dec 2009 at 12:53 am #

   thank you very much for the use of your template. am very grateful i will use it to make a project am working on.

10. Brandy on 17 Jan 2010 at 9:57 am #

    Just made my first matchbox ever with this pattern and made 3 at once. The tabs stumped me for a few minutes but I figured it out. AWESOME! I think I am addicted!

11. Karinus on 17 Jan 2010 at 1:11 pm #

    Hi
    I was just wondering if theres a size difference between your template and ours here in Europe? The match boxes i have are a little bigger than this template or is it just me who cant find out how to adjust to 100%???

12. Ria on 10 Apr 2010 at 12:09 am #

    This is a great template. I don’t like the idea of having to buy a matchbox… what will I do with all the matches?? I suppose I could make a little house out of them, but then I’d lose all my time for swaps!

    Thanks Rachel!

13. Ronda on 05 Aug 2011 at 10:56 am #

    Is there anyone out there who could cut me a template. I have no printed and would love to join a swap. Will pay postage & time & material back to you.Promise!! Thanks

14. Jennie on 12 Jan 2012 at 3:16 pm #

    Is this template still available? I can’t seem to get it to open up as well as the matchbox with the flap. Thanks in advance.

15. Tjinta on 11 Mar 2012 at 1:01 pm #

    Hi … I love your matchboxes, but can’t download any of the files …
    Hope you will read Jennie’s and my comment

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