Duct Tape Wallet

© by Noreen Doll.

Duct tape wallets are very popular with teens right now.

They are also a great gift idea for most adults – especially men.

I have made several, mostly for boys, and they are all using them regularly.

I have discovered that teen girls like them, too, and fortunately duct tape can now be found in many bright colors and designs.

These wallets I’ve made here were created with specific people in mind, and in their choice of colors.

Since I needed to make 4 duct tape wallets for Christmas, I made them all at the same time, and they went together more quickly as I put them together in an assembly line.

I finished each process on all 4 wallets before I moved on to the next step.

This wallet is fun for teen guys.

What you need

Duct Tape

Ruler

Scissors

What you do

A duct tape sheet is the basis for most duct tape projects, and you will need to make some to create a duct tape wallet.

Duct Tape Sheet

Some of these photos were from another duct tape project I made, so the colors are different, but the process is the same.

You will need to make a duct tape sheet that is 8 1/2 inches wide by 7 inches.

1. Cut or tear a piece of duct tape that is about 9 1/2 inches long. Lay it down sticky side up. (Ignore the ruler – the measurement is for another project!)

2. Cut a second piece of duct tape the same length as the first and lay it sticky side down so it overlaps about half of the first strip.

Fold the rest of the strip facing up over the second strip and smooth it down.

3. Turn the two strips over and attach a third strip sticky side down covering the rest of the sticky part of the second strip and slightly overlapping the non-sticky area.

4. Turn the sheet again and continue applying more strips the same way until your sheet is 7 inches long.

Press the last layer on, overlapping, then fold the sticky side over to the other side for the finished edge.

Wallet

5. Trim the ragged side edges to make the sheet 8 1/2 inches wide.

6. Fold the wallet body in half the long way and tape the ends, using an equal amount of the tape on the front and back.

Pockets

7. Make 2 sheets (use the Duct Tape Sheet instructions above) using a contrasting or coordinating color of duct tape. Tear strips about 5 inches long for these.

Make the pocket pieces the same way the duct tape wallet sheet was made, tearing strips about 5 inches long, adding strips until your piece is 3 1/2 inches long.

Your finished pocket pieces should be 4 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches after trimming.

8. Attach the pockets to the left side of the duct tape wallet.

Fold each pocket piece in half so the lower edge is about 1/4 inch lower than the top edge.

9. The top pocket set is attached first – leaving enough room above the top pocket so the cards won’t stick out over the top of the duct tape wallet.

Use a piece of duct tape just shorter than the width of the pocket to tape it on. I used tape the same color as the pocket to attach the top pockets.

10. Lay the second set of pockets on top of the first set so the top edge is about 1/4 inch lower than the edge of the second pocket.

Tape this set of pockets in place, folding the tape around to the other side of the wallet. I used tape the same color as the wallet to attach the lower set of pockets.

11. To tape the sides, put a gift card in one of the pockets to show how much room you need to leave on either side to allow the card to slide in and out.

Tape the entire outside edge of the pockets, wrapping the rest of the tape around the end of the wallet on the outside edge.

In the center, overlap the pocket side as much as possible (leaving room to slide cards in and out) and then press the rest of the tape down across the wallet center.

Windows

12. Use the clear plastic from clamshell packaging, cutting carefully (the edges can be very sharp!) to not slice your fingers on the plastic edge.

Cut window size 3 1/2 inches wide by 2 3/4 inches tall.

13. If you are using contrasting color for the pockets, use contrasting duct tape to tape around the window.

Cut a piece of duct tape 3 1/2 inches long and tear it in half lengthwise. Use these pieces to wrap the long edges of the window.

Make sure the nice edge of each piece is on the front side of the window and that there is slightly more tape on the front side.

That way, when you wrap the tape to the back you won’t see a raw edge or overlap of tape. Trim any tape that overlaps the ends.

The back side won’t be seen, and here is how it looks.

14, Cut a strip of tape 3 inches long and tear in half lengthwise. Use one of these halves to wrap the right end of the window that will be closed. Trim any overhanging bits of tape.

Cut a strip of tape 3 inches long and tear in thirds. Use one of these to wrap the open end of the window. Trim tape even with edges of window.

Notice the left edge of the window has narrower tape. That will be the open end of the window pocket. After the window is attached to the duct tape wallet, all the edges will look like the narrow open edge.

15. Attach the window. Attach the long sides first. Cut a piece of tape a little longer than the window.

Line the tape so the nice edge is even with the open end of the window (which should be facing the center of the wallet).

Only cover about half of the tape on the top long edge of the window. Center the window on the wallet where you want it and apply the sticky part of the tape to the wallet, wrapping the excess over the edge into the money section.

16. Cover only about half of the tape on the long bottom edge of the window, wrapping the excess tape around to the other side of the wallet. Trim tape even with the open edge of the window – being careful not to cut the trim tape.

Tape the closed end of the window, covering only half of the trim tape. Wrap the extra tape around to the other side of the duct tape wallet.

17. Cut a length of tape a little longer than the entire width of the duct tape wallet. Apply it to the lower inside edge of the wallet, lining up the top edge with the top edge of the tape used to attach the window.

Press the tape down across the whole lower part of the wallet, and then wrap it around to the other side and press it down firmly.

18. I pressed firmly along all the edges of the duct tape wallet to be sure they were thoroughly attached.

Tips

Use alcohol to clean the scissors blades when the duct tape gunk builds up.

Plain duct tape colors are harder to hide mistakes with.If you get a wrinkle you can’t remove, or a side that doesn’t look very good, turn or fold that side to the inside where it won’t be seen.

I used a clear plastic place mat for my work surface. If the tape sticks to it, it’s easy to pull it up and still use the tape.

The easiest way to make strips is to make a small cut and tear them. Tear toward the colored side of the tape. When I tore it the other way the sticky side often stuck to itself – and that is impossible to pull apart!

I tore my strips about 1 inch longer than the width of the sheet I was making. For your first effort, you may want to tear the strips 1 1/2 or 2 inches longer than your width.

You need to have the strips long enough for the duct tape sheets so that when you trim off the excess duct tape, your finished sheet will be the right width.

I used a Sharpie to mark on the plastic where to cut the window. You can remove Sharpie marks with alcohol, but since you’ll be covering the edges with tape, the marks won’t be seen.

When wrapping the window, if you make a mistake in the overlap, or put the nice edge of the tape on the wrong side, it may be possible to carefully remove the tape and use it again.

Duct Tape Aluminum Security Credit Card Holder

I’ve read that credit card info can now be read right through a wallet. But aluminum blocks this ability.

So I created a duct tape security credit card holder that incorporates aluminum foil to block access to a credit card.

Consumer Reports says.. “a homemade shield constructed of duct tape and lined with aluminium foil. It provided better protection than eight of the 10 commercial products, including a stainless-steel “RFID blocking” wallet selling online for about $60.”

Noreen Doll

Crafty Journal