After volunteering for girls camp, I needed a couple weeks to recover. Now I’m back. I planned to take lots of photos at camp, but instead I ended up spending every moment teaching the girls how to make duct tape wallets. By the end of the week, I was seriously sick of duct tape wallets. But the girls loved them, so it was worth it. A friend sent me these photos that she took at camp. (That’s me in the gray sweatshirt in the first photo.)
Because of the green tarp roof on the makeshift quonset hut that we called The Craft Shack, everything looked green tinted. It reminded me of the Mr. Big song “Green Tinted Sixties Mind.” Admit it, you know you loved Mr. Big. :)
Anyway, duct tape wallets are certainly not a new thing, and I probably don’t need to tell most of you how to make one. But when I was searching for instructions online, I couldn’t find one easy-to-follow tutorial for a simple duct tape wallet. Plus, friends have asked me for the instructions for my wallet design. Though I developed this pattern myself, I’m told it’s not exactly original, but here it is. This wallet takes about 45 minutes to make.
How to make duct tape wallets
Supplies and tools
- duct tape (Duck brand is available at The Home Depot, Michaels, and many other stores. TapeBrothers.com carries the widest selection of duct tape I have seen, including Platypus Designer Duct Tape.)
- craft knife (X-Acto or other utility knife. We used these mini cutters)
- self-healing cutting mat or other cutting surface (we used sheets of Plexiglass from my salvaged window project)
- credit card/driver’s license
- 3- by 4-inch piece of clear plastic for ID window (I cut up a roll of clear plastic I had on hand)
- 12-inch ruler with metal edge
Main fabric:
1. Tear off four pieces of tape that are at least 9 inches long. (Don’t use scissors. Don’t use your knife. Rip it!) Place them sticky-side-up on your cutting surface. Stick them to each other (front-to-back), overlapping about 1/2 inch.
2. Tear off four more pieces the same length. Starting about 1/2 inch from the top, adhere one piece at a time (back-to-back). The last piece should overlap about 1/2 inch. (The reason you start 1/2-inch down is to stagger the thicker parts of the duct tape “fabric” you’re making. If you don’t, some parts of the fabric will be four layers thick, which is difficult to fold.)
3. Fold over the top and bottom edges. Your fabric should now be about 6 inches tall.
4. Using your ruler and knife, cut a clean edge on the left side. Always use your ruler when cutting with your knife.
5. Then measure 8-1/2 inches and trim the other edge. Set aside.
Credit card pockets:
6. Tear off two pieces of tape about 5 inches long. Overlap them the same as step 1.
7. Tear off two more 5-inch pieces and adhere the same as step 2.
8. Fold over the top and bottom edges the same as step 3. This large pocket should be about 3 inches tall.
9. Using your ruler and knife, cut a clean edge on the left side.
10. Then measure 4 inches and trim the other edge. Set aside.
11. Tear off two pieces that are about 9 inches long. Stick them directly back-to-back.
12. Cut this double-sided piece into two 4-inch long pieces. These are your smaller pockets.
13. Tear off a 5-inch piece of tape. Rip it lengthwise down the middle. (Yes, I said rip it. Fast. You can do it. Don’t worry if it’s not exactly down the middle.)
14. Use two of the ripped pieces to make a top border on each of the small pockets. Tape the top edge, then fold over. Trim the excess.
15. Tear off a 4-inch piece of tape. Rip it lengthwise down the middle.
16. Stack the pockets on top of each other. Stagger the height of the two smaller ones evenly.
17. Place a credit card on top of the stacked pockets to make sure you leave enough space for your cards. Using one of your ripped pieces, tape the left side of your pockets right up to the edge of the credit card. Fold it over to the back side and trim the excess with your ruler and knife. Do not tape the right side yet.
ID window:
18. Use another ripped piece to tape the right edge of your window. Fold it over and trim the excess. Do not tape any other edge yet. Set aside.
Final assembly:
19. Fold your main fabric in half lengthwise. Make sure the height of your pockets, window, and wallet are all the same height (3 inches). If not, trim them as necessary.
20. Unfold the main fabric. Place the window and pockets in opposite upper corners of your main fabric. Rip a 9-inch piece of tape lengthwise. Option 1: Use one piece to tape the top edge all the way across. Or option 2: Using your knife and ruler, cut one of the pieces in half endwise. Tape the window down, lining up the cut edge with the right side of the window. Then tape the pockets down, lining up the cut edge with the left side of the pockets. Trim off the excess.
21. Tear off another 4-inch piece of tape. Rip it lengthwise down the middle.
22. Refold your main fabric. Place a credit card on top of the pockets. Using one of the ripped pieces, tape the right side of your wallet right up against the edge of your credit card. Fold it over the entire wallet. Trim the excess with your knife.
23. Tape the left edge (window side) of your wallet the same way. Trim the excess.
24. Following either option 1 or 2 in step 20, tape the bottom edge the same way. This piece will show on the outside of your wallet, so follow option 1 if you want a contrasting border. (You can cut out a notch on the inside, if you prefer.)
25. Fold your wallet in half endwise, then press it flat.
26. Add decoration with duct tape as desired. You’re done!
- Tags: camp crafts, duct tape, gifts
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July 6, 2010 at 1:09 pm
I’ve always thought duct tape wallets looked tacky, but these are beautiful!
Definitely worth the 45 minutes :)
July 6, 2010 at 10:45 pm
I absolutely love them! I’ve never seen something like this! ♥ Here in Argentina i never saw that kind of duct tape (with prints and fun colours) but i’ll find the way to make something similar!
When i first visited this blog y felt inlove an spend all night reading all your posts! Now i visit it frequently hoping that you’ve posted something new :)
Bye!
July 7, 2010 at 2:16 am
vraiment super mignon!!! et bien pratique!!!!
grosses bises laurence
July 7, 2010 at 12:33 pm
These are so very cute. I have seen them made once on tv, but never got the instructions for making them. Love the prints and colors. And the decorations make them that much more special. Thanks for your interesting web site. And I am glad you survived camp! :)
July 10, 2010 at 11:26 am
Those are so cool!! I want one!! :)
July 10, 2010 at 5:31 pm
i love the blue one with the light blue stripes!
July 10, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Wow I didn’t know duct tape came in so many different colors and patterns now.
July 12, 2010 at 7:35 pm
I made a much simpler version when I was in summer camp as a kid, but yours is so very nice! A fancy duct tape wallet, even.
July 14, 2010 at 6:25 am
Do. You have a plan for a duct tape Iphone case?
July 14, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Barry – Not yet, but if someone wants to buy me an iphone, I’ll design a duct tape case. :)
July 16, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Such a great tutorial! The wallet looks great. Thank you!
I used a square of plastic from a Ziploc freezer bag for the window. It’s a tiny bit creased, but a nice combo of sturdy and clear and already in the house. :)
Thanks again!
July 18, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I can see the duct tape wallets being a huge hit!
July 26, 2010 at 9:23 am
Where does one acquire/buy the clear plastic material for the window? I’ve been searching all over and don’t even know what to ask for!!!!!
July 28, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Margaret – Good question. You could cut a piece from a clear plastic report cover or one of those clear plastic packages that small electronics, etc. usually come in. Or use a sheet of transparency film for overhead projectors. Or check art/fabric stores for rolls of clear plastic film. Anyone have more ideas?
July 29, 2010 at 7:37 pm
If you have a Joanns Fabric store around, they sell the clear plastic. Sometimes it is back where the upholstery fabric rolls are hanging or just ask anyone who works there. And don’t forget to check out the racks they have of remnant pieces of material, sometimes you can find a piece of it rolled up in there, and at discounted prices. Hope that helps
August 5, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Easy sources of clear plastic:
For a harder plastic, a overhead transparency sheet. (for overhead projectors)
Sold in newsagencies and office supplies shops.
For a softer plastic, (and a bit thicker) hardwares and material shops will have big rolls of clear plastic for covering and protecting tables.
I love these wallets btw.
Never knew you could get such funky colours in duct tape!
Australia here only has the usual boring colours available. :(
Thanks so much for sharing!!
August 10, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Your tutorial is excellent! Thanks for taking the time to document each step so well. We did these duct tape wallets at our ward Girl’s Camp too: they loved it. We also did duct tape roses (google it) which was a fun, faster alternative for shorter attention spans.
August 28, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Check out my own duct tape blog: http://maggielovesducttape.blogspot.com/
December 8, 2010 at 1:56 am
I love duct tape its a great way to make crafts.there are tons of things to make with it like pictures,rings,ties,bows,and so on…I make wallets and sell them :) if your interested check out my yout tube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/thestickybusiness
December 20, 2010 at 9:35 pm
great duct tape wallets, thks.
December 26, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Thanks for the easy instructions. We are having a New Year’s Party which will feature activity stations pertaining to common New Year’s wishes/resolutions. This one will be for our guests wishing for wealth in the new year.
January 21, 2011 at 10:14 am
Graet info, personally when i first started learning how to make a duct tape wallet i followed that guide, since then ive moved on to purses (they sell for alot more money, lol)
February 19, 2011 at 3:38 pm
THIS SUCKS. why don’t you guys make GIRL duct tape wallets? me and my friend are trying to find a good website on how to make duct tape wallet but we can’t find the right one!
February 19, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Alyssa – What does a GIRL duct tape wallet mean to you? Are you seeking more pockets, a change purse, or picture windows? Or is it only about color? If you give me some parameters, I might be able to design one for you.
March 31, 2011 at 4:51 pm
i <3 these but i wish i knew more about how to make them i only make single colored ones… :( but i LOOOVVVVVVVVEEEE the ones u madeeee
May 22, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Hey, this is going back to Alyssa’s comment about girl wallets. I was wondering if you could maybe make some sort of tutorial that included a wallet with a coin pocket, and that was only a bifold. Much like women’s wallets are today.
June 27, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Hi there,
I stumbled upon your blog while searching for camp crafts for my Pathfinder unit (older Girl Guides). These are some very cool wallets! I am planning on making them with my girls at camp this weekend. I was wondering if you could give me an idea of how much duct tape you need to make one wallet? Any suggestions on the amount needed if I wanted to make 12 wallets? Thanks!
June 27, 2011 at 8:35 pm
K – You’ll need 11-12 feet of tape for each wallet. Each roll of duct tape is generally 15 yards (45 feet), so you can make about 4 wallets per roll. But the girls always like to mix up the colors and patterns, so I’d advise buying more than you need. Good luck!
July 25, 2011 at 9:27 pm
LOVED this! We used your pattern for our YW Girls Camp~ Thanks so much for the really great step by step details!! We had about 20 girls get through this successfully :) We used the clear vinyl that you use to cover tables with.. (or..lol grandmas use to cover their furniture~) For our YW it was about an hour start to finish. Really Great idea! BTW, from this I was able to figure out an easy purse idea and just braided a handle for it. CUTE!
August 16, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Where can i buy coloured duck tape in australia, i have been looking all over the place and how much does duck tape normally cost its too expensive. Also can you make a blog on how to make womens wallets and duck tape bows i would love to know how to make one!!!
September 3, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Sssssooooooooo cute!my daughter loved it
October 16, 2011 at 8:40 pm
If you make a very thin frame with the duct tape and fill it in with clear packaging tape, you can make an ID holder. Just make sure to touch it only on the excess where you’ll be cutting it off, otherwise you’ll get finger prints.
October 27, 2011 at 12:06 am
Isabella – TapeBrothers.com has a wide selection of colored and patterned duct tape at good prices—and they ship to Australia. I’m working on more duct tape tutorials for you.
December 8, 2011 at 4:38 am
Beautiful project!
Two thoughts…
For the clear plastic, buy sheet protectors! The kind you put in a three ring binder to hold sheets of paper. They sell those at any office supply.
And by “girls wallet” I’m pretty sure they mean one that is larger. When it’s folded closed, it’s the size of dollar bill. The one you show is the size of a dollar folded in half, like a man’s wallet. They want one the size of a wallet that can hold a checkbook too.
December 11, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Ryder – Do women still carry checkbooks?!
December 11, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Absolutely!! I don’t leave home with it!
January 27, 2012 at 7:39 pm
I think this is cool but i already no how to make it it is so easy!!!
February 15, 2012 at 11:47 am
this is soooo hard i tried it
February 15, 2012 at 12:27 pm
thats cool how you make them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
February 25, 2012 at 2:51 pm
This is my first duct tape wallet and it turned out better than i expected. It was a little thick though. This is definitely a challenge!
February 28, 2012 at 4:01 pm
I have made ipod holders before, i can make flower rings (very detailed) and bow rings. I love the wallets..so fun to make(:
April 5, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Wow this website is really cool i love to play with ductape!!!;)
April 16, 2012 at 6:19 am
Thank you for the clear instructions and pictures! We used a sheet protector for our plastic piece. My 9 year old daughter and I made this last night and she is thrilled!
April 19, 2012 at 7:35 am
Thanks for the detailed tutorial. I made duct tape bags during crafts in my 55+ community. They were such a hit I held the class 3 times. The ladies want me to make more duct tape items next year. We will either make wallets or roses…or both! Thanks again!
April 22, 2012 at 4:34 pm
awesome!!!!!! love it
June 2, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Really cool, thanks for the ideas!
Jewelry Rage
June 13, 2012 at 2:34 pm
I love making these…(womans Wallets) They’re so much prettier.
July 21, 2012 at 5:58 pm
I want to create a coupon organizer, and I can never find one that I like! And, I also want to do a receipt keeper!!! How in the world would I even start?
September 15, 2012 at 6:06 pm
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding
your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to
new updates and will share this website with my Facebook group.
Talk soon!
September 15, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I made three! They’re awesome! I love them!
September 22, 2012 at 10:52 am
i love them so cute .!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!going to make one for my sis.
December 13, 2012 at 9:24 pm
And you don’t necessarily have to use only duct tape. You can use contact paper on its own or in combination. I’m always finding vintage contact paper (often in wood grain) at Estate Sales, which comes in some funky designs and is cheaper than the specialty tape. Right now I’m making one using dark toned wood grain contact paper and gold metallic duct tape for my dad’s Christmas present. So many possibilties..
December 22, 2012 at 4:09 pm
I do believe all the ideas you’ve offered for your post. They’re really convincing
and will certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for beginners.
May just you please lengthen them a little from next time?
Thanks for the post.
February 25, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Hey, just made a spongebob one for my Granddaughter. Thanks, great instructions..
February 25, 2013 at 1:44 pm
So one thing I cannot figure out. I have made 2 wallets now and where does the first large pocket go?
February 25, 2013 at 4:54 pm
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation?
My blog has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my permission. Do you know any techniques to help prevent content from being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
April 7, 2013 at 8:25 am
OMG!! These are SOO cool! I saw instructions for these elsewhere but they didn’t include all the cool features that this one does.
April 22, 2013 at 5:04 pm
I run a site selling these. To make my ID holder, I use clear shipping tape, and overlap the same way you would to begin the wallet.
April 29, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Have you ever considered or tried making the wallets out of Duck Tape sheets? I’m just wondering if that might be a bit easier. If you don’t know what I’m talking about here is the link: http://www.tapebrothers.com/Duck-Brand-Duck-Tape-Sheets-s/386.htm
April 29, 2013 at 7:18 pm
Jennifer K. – Duct tape sheets are easier, but they’re super expensive. I’d rather spend a few more minutes making my own “sheet” than pay those prices.