Hi again! I’ve been getting some big projects ready to show you – but until that happens (might be next week!) I thought I would share a little gift wrap idea I came up with this summer.

I’ve been waiting to use this again and Christmas gifts are the perfect place. I don’t know about you, but I hate using clear gift wrap. It’s tricky finding the right size, and it always ends up looking messy. So I decided to try sewing a bag and it worked – with no messy ending involved!

Grab some clear gift wrap from your local Dollar Store – here’s how to make one.

(Step 1) You will need to take a few measurements from your item/s. Measure and write the Gift Width, Gift Height and Gift Length down on a sheet of paper.

(Step 2) Figure out the cut size of your clear wrap (very easy math!):

  • Width (A) of the clear wrap = Gift Width + Gift Length + 1″ for seam allowance
  • Height (B) of clear wrap = Gift Height + Gift Length + 5″ to provide extra to tie the top of the gift

(Step 3) Now that you have your measurements:

  • Place a piece of clear wrap approximately twice the Height (B) on a lint free cutting surface. (Static held my wrap to my cutting mat – which helped a lot.)
  • Fold the wrap in half, crease well, and line the fold up at the bottom of your mat.
  • Cut the Width (A) and Height (B) – do not cut off the fold. Use an old rotary blade or paper cutting scissors!

(Step 4)  Sewing the sides.

  • Grab a school glue stick. Fold both long edges under by 1/2″ and glue. Make sure your glue is the type that dries clear before you start!
  • Fold the bag back in half along the bottom crease.
  • Stitch along the sides with a 1/4″ seam.

 

(Step 5) Creating the bottom of the bag (Boxing the corners).

  • Fold the bag so the side seam lines up with the bottom crease.
  • Make a line perpendicular to the side seam that is the length of your “Gift Length” (from Step 2)
  • Fold along the line to crease well, then fold in the opposite direction and crease well.
  • Pull apart the bag and push the creased portion into the inside of the bag. Be sure to tidy the corner by pushing it out with a dull object. Basically you are turning the newly creased section inside out to hide it inside the bag.
  • Line up the creased lines on the outside of the bag and stitch with a 1/8″ seam allowance.

All done!

Now, straighten your boxed corners on the inside of the bag, arrange your gift – throw in a few sparkly pompoms for good measure – tie and you’re done!