Cut and Fold Types

MMCF - Measure, Mark, Cut, Fold (or just Cut and Fold)

This is the most common type of fold, and has several variations. Each page can have any number of marks.

Inverted (Innie)

In this method, the filled spaces in the image are folded in, while the negative space in the image is left unfolded.

Embossed (Outie)

In this method, the “empty” spaces are folded in, leaving the image standing out from the folded pages.

Combined (Combi)

In this method, the outer edges are folded in, then any other marks inside are cut and folded.

Shadow Fold

This is a variation of the Inlay fold where every other page is left untouched for a more subtle look. This method is twice as fast as a regular cut and fold, and good for delicate designs where the folded pages are more likely to bend.

Wunderfold has two types of shadow fold: Regular (Fold 1 Skip 1) and 2/3 (Fold 2 skip 1). The differences between both types and a regular inverted fold can be seen here:

Regular shadow folds usually look best when the cuts are filled in with dark cardstock, or colored in some other way.

Two-tone Fold ⭐️

This fold is unique to Wunderfold, and requires a Pro subscription. It combines an inverted fold for the darkest parts of the image with a shadow fold for the lighter parts. The result is a detailed fold with more contrast than other fold types. It’s perfect for vector designs with color, as well as converting photographs to folding patterns.

Multilayer Cut and Fold ⭐️

This type of fold involves cutting the page to multiple depths to create 3D layers in the book pages.

When creating images for multilayer patterns, each layer is represented by a color. To learn more about how to design for multilayer images, visit the multilayer tutorial.

This fold type also requires a Pro subscription.

MMF - Measure, Mark, and Fold

This type of fold can be accomplished with no cutting.

Each page has a top and a bottom fold, which are folded back at 45 degrees, or to the corner of the page if a 45-degree fold isn’t possible.

This type is only suited for simple images such as text, as each page can only have a pair of folds. When this method is chosen, pages that would have multiple cuts alternate between the different cut pairs so that there can be a single pair of folds per page. This method should not be used with images that would otherwise have more than 6 marks on a single page.

Why am I getting a warning message when I choose MMF?

You may see this message when creating a pattern: MMF is not recommended for this design. Please choose another folding mode. This is because the image generating the pattern has areas where there are more than three distinct vertical sections. Because an MMF pattern must alternate between the different vertical parts, a design with too many vertical parts would have too much spacing between folds in the same area, and lack the detail to make the design show up well. Because of this, Wunderfold displays a warning if you choose MMF for a pattern with more than 6 marks on any single page. It is recommended that these designs use a different cut/fold method instead. If your image has multiple lines of text, see Multiline MMF below.

Multiline MMF ⭐️

This is an MMF that is designed specifically for multiple lines of text. It requires a Pro subscription to use.

Using the multiline MMF mode is very easy! Just load your image with multiple lines of text in it, and choose Multiline MMF for the cut mode. Wunderfold will automatically determine how many lines there are, and where the cuts between lines need to be. Then the cuts will be calculated separately for each cut section, allowing multiple lines without losing details.

In some cases, you might want to use less lines than the number of lines that Wunderfold detected – for example, if you have a single “i” on one line, Wunderfold will try to put a line between the dot and the base of the “i”. To get rid of any extra lines, choose, the exact number that you need from the dropdown, and the extra lines will be removed.

180 Fold

This is a technique that can be applied to inverted and embossed folds to create a thicker edge on the page and help make the design fuller and more visible. It involves simply folding the edge of every page back about 1cm. This technique doesn’t require anything specific in the instructions. If you choose to do it, just fold each page back before you begin, the continue following the pattern’s instructions.