Make a duct tape wallet

Before you begin 

• Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
• Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.  

Setting up this activity

• You may want to get different types, patterns and colours of duct tape. 
• You could make an example of this activity, so everyone knows what it should look like. 

Making the wallet

Making a square

1. Gather everyone around and tell them you’re going to make a wallet out of duct tape. 
2. Hand out duct tape, pens, scissors and rulers. 
3. First, you need to create a sticky square. Cut 4 pieces of tape, about 25cm long, then lay them on the flat surface, so the sticky side is facing up.
4. Connect the four pieces together by overlapping the top edge of each one to the bottom edge of the next.
5. Cut another 25 cm piece of duct tape, then press it sticky side to sticky side against the bottom strip of tape on your square. 
6. Repeat this with 3 more strips until you create a solid square sheet made of tape. You can use scissors to trim the ends.

Add some seams

1. Now, let's make seams to create a smooth edge. To create a smooth top and bottom edge, cut a strip of tape that’s a little longer than your wallet, around 27cm. You could make this from a different colour tape.
2. Cut the 27cm strip in half lengthways. 
3. Wrap one of the halves around the bottom edge of the square sheet. Lie it so that half the strip is under your wallet and fold the tape over the edge. 
4. Repeat this for the other half strip along the bottom edge.

Make the card pockets

1. Now, let’s create the card pockets. Cut a long strip of tape, about 45cm long. Place it, sticky side up, on the flat surface. Cut another 45cm piece, then tape it onto the other piece sticky side down, so sticky to sticky).
2. Cut another 45cm piece and cut it in half lengthways.
3. Use the two halves to create a smooth top and bottom seam, just like you did with the square. Lie it so half the strip is under the 45cm strip and fold the tape over the top edge.
4. Use the second half strip to do the other side, then trim the ends.
5. Using a card, such as a gift card or library card, as a measuring guide, cut the 45cm strip into four bank-card sized pieces (they should be around 9cm). You need to leave about 0.6cm on either side of the card to give you room to get any cards in and out. 
6. Put the four pieces to one side for now.

Build the wallet

1. Take the square sheet you made earlier.
2. Fold the square sheet in half to bring the two seamed edges together, but don’t crease it yet.
3. Once folded, make sure the back part of the wallet is slightly higher than the front to resemble a wallet, then press down on the seams.
4. Now, fold the wallet in half the other way. This’ll help you to mark the middle and to create a folding wallet. 
5. Open the last fold back up, so that it looks like an open wallet
6. Place the four card pockets on top. 
7. You want them close to the centre, or middle fold, but not touching it. This is so the wallet can easily open and close.
8. Cut a piece of tape about 10cm long, then cut it in half lengthways.
9. Starting at the bottom, press the tape up the centre of the wallet covering the edge of the credit card pockets in the middle to secure them in place.
10. Fold the end of the tape over, but only fold it over one layer, so you don't tape your money pocket shut. You can tuck it inside the wallet.
11. Cut a piece of tape that's a little longer than the side of your wallet, then cut it in half lengthways. 
12. Use half on one side to create a smooth seam along the wallet edge. Make sure you’re covering the edge of the credit card pockets to secure them in place and then fold over edge of wallet.
13. Repeat this with the other side. You may need to trim the edge of your wallet.
14. Cut another strip of tape that’s the length of your wallet, then cut it in half lengthways. 
15. Create a smooth seam along the bottom of your wallet. Make sure you cover the bottom edges of your credit card pockets, then trim the edges.
16. Finally, add any decoration you’d like to the wallet.