September 2008 Project of the Month - Gift Bags and Boxes

Want a unique way to present a gift?  Raid your stash and sew up a gift bag or fold up a box.

The box, the small light green bag and the bag on the right are made from fabric covered with iron-on vinyl from Therm O Web. I got mine from JoAnn with a 40% off coupon.  (Yes!)

Instead of handles for the small light green bag, I made slits in the top, 2 on each side, and wove grosgrain ribbon through them.

The cutting layout for the gift bag in three sizes is in this pdf file. (To get Adobe Reader click this link.)

Using ½" seam allowance sew each side of the bag.  Iron on a strip of heavy weight interfacing to the top of the bag, front and back, about ¼" from the edge.  The interfacing provides more meat for crimping the eyelets.

Flatten out the bag so the side seam lines up with the middle of the bottom of the bag.  Stitch each side using a ½" seam allowance.  This makes the sides and completes the bottom of the bag.

For the top edge, shown at the bottom of the image, turn the ¼" over the interfacing and turn again making a finished off hem.  Topstitch or secure with fusible web.

Turn bag to right side.

I crease and iron the bag so it resembles a paper gift bag.  I also cut a piece of cardboard, the size of the bottom, to help stabilize the bag.

The eyelets are positioned approximately ¼ of the bag width from the edge.  In this example, the bag is 7" wide.  The eyelets were placed 1¾" from each side.

You may want to adjust the placement of the eyelets to your own personal preference.

After I decide where I want the handles placed, I mark the bag and punch a hole with a small hole punch.  The eyelet is larger than the hole, but I find this works better.  The fabric fits tight and results in a securely crimped eyelet.

Use some fabric and interfacing scraps to practice crimping the eyelets.

Depending on the size of the bag and the type of fabric used, select a ribbon or cord to match the size and weight of the bag.

Knot the cord/ribbon so it doesn't pull through the eyelet.  Fray Check^® comes in handy.

Origami Fabric Box

I covered the fabric with iron-on vinyl before cutting the squares.  This gives the fabric some body so the box doesn't collapse.  It also gives the fabric a sheen and a 'leatherly' look.

Hmmmm . . . what else could you do with 'vinylized' fabric?

Cut the top of the box slightly larger than the bottom so it fits together nicely.  The bottom was 8" square and the top 8½" square for a 3" square box.

I found Origami projects with diagrams and videos at DIY Life.  The box project is a little more than half way  down the page.

I didn't make the initial 2 folds, but marked the center of the square instead.  I didn't want creases in the top and bottom of the box.

Practice with paper first to get the hang of it and experiment with different paper sizes.