About
The Art and Science of Card Making
Card making sits at the intersection of precision and creativity. While mathematical paper standards serve industries well, they often fall short for artists and crafters who think in terms of expression rather than specifications.
CardCalc.app was born from the belief that measurement conversions shouldn't be a barrier to creative expression. Whether you're following a tutorial from across the globe or designing your own cards to fit locally available envelopes, our hope is that this tool simplifies the technical aspects so you can focus on what matters most—your artistic vision.
The idea originated during an episode of Craft Roulette when a simple but recurring question came up: "What size is that card?" It's a question we hear in nearly every episode, but the answer isn't always straightforward. We never know if viewers are measuring in inches or millimeters, and giving measurements in just one system inevitably leaves some crafters reaching for calculators.
This uncertainty about measurement systems is a constant in international crafting communities. When someone shares a beautiful "A2 card" online, crafters outside North America might envision something completely different than what was intended. What should be a moment of inspiration becomes a puzzle of conversions.
Who We Are
CardCalc.app is a free tool that helps crafters quickly calculate card measurements and dimensions. Made by Stephen Gunn of Craft Roulette, it serves our international crafting audience. The idea originated from Donna Lewis' appearance on Craft Roulette's #252 episode.
At Craft Roulette, we regularly connect with card makers from around the world, and we've seen firsthand how measurement conversions can become a barrier to creativity. CardCalc.app was designed specifically to bridge this gap and make card making more accessible to everyone, regardless of which measurement system they use.
How to Use CardCalc.app
CardCalc.app makes it easy to:
- Convert between metric and imperial measurements with practical ⅛" fractions
- Calculate layer sizes for card fronts
- Find compatible envelope sizes for your cards
- Share precise measurements with other crafters
- Access common card and envelope size standards from around the world
If you're new to CardCalc.app, simply:
- Enter measurements into the Calculator to see the dimensions in both imperial and metric.
- Add some Layers to see additional measurements for matting and layering.
- Select predefined paper sizes from the Card Bases to see their measurements.
- Select common Envelope sizes to see their measurements and what paper sizes match.
- Use the Share interface to share a link to any measurement or setup.
For a deeper understanding of card making standards and systems, check out our Card Making Standards & Systems guide.
Our Commitment
This tool is open for the entire crafting community to use and share. All measurements and calculations are freely available - feel free to reference them in your own projects or content.
CardCalc.app is completely free, with no ads or trackers. To support this project, join our weekly crafting challenge at Craft Roulette. For suggestions or feedback, please use the Contact Form on CraftRoulette.live.
Thanks for visiting!