If you're in the mood to make gift wrapping a little bit softer this year, I have a brilliant idea (which was not, originally, mine). You can make drawstring pouches from a little bit of fleece and some ribbon - and it's not that much more difficult than wrapping, especially for odd-shaped gifts. Here's what you do:
- Buy enough fabric that you can cut at least one, 20-inch circle out of it. I can't remember how much this is...a yard? Maybe 2? I remember that the fabric all came in 18-inch width, so I had to get more than I had wanted to. I got two bags out of each swatch that I bought.
- Buy a lot of ribbon. One bag used one spool of the ribbon I bought at the craft store.
- Cut your circle. I tied a 10-inch piece of string around a piece of chalk to trace my circle, but if you have a gigantic bowl, that might work too. None of mine were big enough.
- Cut slits for the ribbon to go through. I cut mine about an inch and a half from the edge of the fabric at 3-inch intervals. I wouldn't go any more than 3 inches apart.
- Weave the ribbon through the slits. Use enough ribbon so that you can go all the way around the circle (with it laying flat) and tie the ribbon in a bow. I hot-glued my bow together so it wouldn't come untied. And because I use every excuse I can to get out the hot glue gun.
- To create the bag, just pull the ribbon at the point where you tied the bow. When the bag is cinched up, you have a perfect little carrying strap.
Now gift receivers have to think of something to do with the "bags" after opening the gifts...ideas?
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good carry-toys-around-the-house bag, and maybe a good bag to put your comb & toothbrush in for sleepovers. Oooh, and a good Bible & offering tote bag for church. We're always forgetting our Bibles and offerings for church.
ReplyDelete