Disposable article with folded handle and method of forming

A method of forming an absorbent article for personal wear about a wearer's waist, the article having a transverse axis and a longitudinal centerline the method comprising:

• providing at least one side panel material;
• forming a slit through the side panel, the slit extending in both the longitudinal and lateral direction to provide a foldable slit material;
• folding the foldable slit material towards a waist edge of the side panel to provide an aperture in the side panel;
• providing an absorbent assembly, the absorbent assembly comprising a liquid permeable inner surface for facing the wearer, an outer surface for facing away from the wearer, an absorbent body disposed therebetween, and a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions;
• and
• attaching the at least one side panel to the front waist region and the back waist region to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article having a waist opening and a leg opening spaced from the waist opening, wherein the at least one side panel extends from the waist opening to the leg opening.