What Size Should a Handmade Greeting Card Layer Be?

The most common size is one-quarter inch larger than the piece of card stock for which you are making a layer or mat. If that sounds large, it really isn’t. The layer, or mat, is a quarter inch larger in height and width, but only gives you an 1/8″ on each of the four sides.

Of course, you can make larger or smaller layers for the desired look, but you will find 1/4″ larger is the most common size you will use for a card making layer.

There are times a smaller matting layer is desired to provide just a hint of an accent color. As well as, there are times a larger layer is attractive.

A word of caution when you choose to make a smaller matting layer, such as 1/4″ larger in height and width, that only gives you an 1/8″ on each of the four sides. This is when you need to take extra care in measuring and cutting accurately. That is because with such a small variance in sizes between the layers, it is very obvious when you are off; it will make your handmade greeting card less attractive.

Let me give you another hint when making matting layers for your handmade cards: measure your first card stock layer to the closest 1/4″ increment. It is then easy to make your next layer because we quickly recognize measurements of 1/4″, 1/2″, 3/4″ and a full inch.

There will be times when the perfect size layer is with an 1/8″ increment because 1/4″ simply does not either look right for one reason or another. Now you will need to learn how to read 1/8″, 3/8″, 5/8″, 7/8″. The more you do, the easier it will become.

If you go any smaller to 1/16″, you will need to adjust accordingly. To make card making easy, do your best to cut your layers in 1/4″ increments. You will find most common size layer you will make will be 1/4″ larger.

Too many times I have watched card makers take a piece of card stock to the cutter and just trim it without regard to the size to which they are cutting it. Then when they wish to make a layer for it, they “eyeball” instead of measuring when cutting the layer. This virtually always makes for a lopsided mat and is frankly unattractive.

Making layers for your handmade greeting cards is easiest when you try to keep the layers to measurements of 1/4″.