How to Make Cardboard Photo Frames with Fabric Covers

Why Cardboard Photo Frames Are Worth Making

There is something quietly satisfying about turning a battered delivery box into a keepsake that sits on the mantelpiece for years. Cardboard is free, endlessly available, and surprisingly sturdy once it is layered and covered. A fabric-covered frame made from it looks far more expensive than it is, and because you choose the fabric, ribbon and size, it can be matched to a nursery, a hallway or a grandparent's front room with real intention.

They also make wonderful gifts. A frame holding a photograph of a first day at school, a family holiday or a new puppy costs almost nothing but feels deeply personal. This guide walks you through the whole process, from choosing the right board to securing the picture so it can be swapped whenever you like.

Gathering Your Materials

Start with corrugated cardboard from a sturdy delivery box rather than a cereal packet, which is too flimsy for a frame you want to keep. You want board that holds a crisp edge when cut. Two or three layers glued together give a lovely chunky depth that fabric sits over beautifully.

• Cardboard: single-wall corrugated board, roughly A4 or larger, in clean, dry condition
• Fabric: cotton, linen or lightweight canvas works best; avoid stiff or slippery fabrics such as satin, which fray and refuse to fold neatly
• Ribbon: 6–10mm grosgrain or satin ribbon for a hanging loop, plus a longer piece if you want a bow
• Adhesive: a strong PVA glue or a glue stick for fabric, plus a hot glue gun for ribbon and assembly
• Tools: a craft knife and metal ruler, a cutting mat, sharp scissors, a pencil, and a bone folder or the back of a spoon for creasing
• Optional: wadding or felt scraps for a softly padded finish, and a length of elastic or ribbon for the picture tabs

Iron your fabric before you begin. It is a small step that makes an enormous difference to the finished frame, and it is much harder to press once the cardboard is glued inside it.

Cutting the Frame Shapes

Decide on your photograph size first, then add a border of about 3–5cm on every side. For a 6x4 inch print, a frame of roughly 15cm by 20cm looks balanced. Cut three pieces from your cardboard:

• The front panel: with an aperture cut in the centre, slightly smaller than your photograph so the picture cannot slip through
• The middle spacer: a full rectangle, no aperture, which creates depth
• The back panel: a full rectangle, which will hold the tabs

To cut the aperture, mark it in pencil, then use a craft knife against a metal ruler. Cut from the corner inwards along each side rather than trying to turn the blade at the corners. The centre piece you remove can be saved to make a smaller frame later, so keep it.

Glue the three layers together with PVA, front on top, and press them under a heavy book for at least half an hour. A weighted stack gives you flat, professional edges instead of a warped frame.

Covering the Cardboard with Fabric

Lay your glued frame face down on the wrong side of the fabric and trace around it, then add a generous 3cm border all the way round. Cut out the outer shape, then cut a cross or an X into the aperture area, taking the fabric diagonally to each corner of the opening.

Working one edge at a time, run a thin line of PVA along the cardboard edge, fold the fabric over and press it down firmly. Pull gently, not tightly, or you will distort the weave. At corners, fold the fabric in neatly to create a small diagonal pleat and glue it flat. Snip away excess bulk if the layers feel lumpy.

For the aperture, take each triangular flap through the opening to the back and glue it down. Trim the fabric so it does not show through the window. If you would like a softer look, lay a square of wadding or felt across the front panel before covering, which gives a gently padded, upholstered effect.

Adding Ribbon and Finishing Touches

Ribbon is where a homemade frame starts to look properly finished. There are three easy options, and you can combine them:

• A hanging loop at the top, made from a 20cm length of ribbon glued to the back panel before assembly
• A bow fixed to one corner of the front, using a hot glue gun so it holds instantly
• A ribbon border glued around the outer edge of the frame, which hides any untidy fabric folds

Keep embellishments light. A single bow, a row of tiny buttons or a slim ribbon border will look charming; too many competing trims start to look cluttered. If you are making the frame for a child's room, a fabric with a small print works beautifully with a plain contrast ribbon.

Securing the Photograph with Simple Tabs

The clever part of a handmade frame is making the picture changeable. Skip the glue here entirely. Turn the frame over and, on the inside of the back panel, fix four small tabs that fold over the photograph edges.

Cut four pieces of ribbon or elastic about 4cm long. Glue one end of each to the back panel, positioning them so the free ends will meet the edges of your print. Press them down flat and let them dry completely. To insert a photograph, slide it into the frame from the back, then fold each tab over the edge of the picture so it sits snugly against the card.

A small triangle of cardboard glued at the base of the back panel makes a neat stand, or add two small holes and thread ribbon for hanging. Either way, the frame is finished, filled and ready to gift. Wrap it in tissue paper with a spare print tucked behind, and you have a present that costs pennies and means a great deal more than anything shop-bought.