Gift Bags That Will Make Your Presents Stand Out: 6 Impressive Homemade Gift Bags & 7 Super Easy Decoration Hacks (2019)

Gift Bags That Will Make Your Presents Stand Out: 6 Impressive Homemade Gift Bags & 7 Super Easy Decoration Hacks (2019)

Found the perfect gifts for friends, family and that special someone, and that to within budget? Before you start patting yourself on the back, have you thought about gift wraps, bags and how you're going to present those gifts? If you haven't, we have some terrific ideas for gift bags that will take your gifts to a whole new level. Learn here how to make simple, yet elegant and beautiful handmade gift bags made of paper and fabric that are ideal for small gifts, Christmas presents and what have you.

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7 Super Fast Hacks for Gift Bags

The holiday season is about to start and with it the party season. It is also when the much-anticipated gifting starts. With Black Friday round the corner, you would be waiting, ready to buy gifts and cross off everything on your shopping list. That is the easiest part, then comes the wrapping. If you are like us, you probably procrastinate until about half an hour before the party and panic at the last moment. Not to worry. You have gift bags to help you out. Grab your gift bag and just pop your gift in. What more? You can even reuse your gift bags with new tags. Who in the right mind would want to throw away such beauty?

If you don't have time to pick your gift bag, we have a solution for you. Handmade gift bags! Not only are they easy to make, but they are also economical and have your personal touch. New to DIY gift bags? Don't panic just yet! We have put together 7 incredible hacks that are also quick and have easy to find materials.

Make Use of Old Gift Wrapping Paper or Wall Paper

Now that you have taken the first step towards making your own gift bag, take a note of all that you have in your crafts basket. Or the festivities left over from last holiday season. You are sure to find some old gift wrappers or wallpaper even. If you happen to have any of those lying around, your mission is accomplished. You can convert them to a gift bag in a few simple steps.

Use a Box as a Guide

So what if you are hopelessly clumsy! Follow this hack and you are sure to find yourself crafting a beautiful gift bag in no time at all. If you are an online shopper you would have many cardboard boxes of all sizes and shapes. Choose one that is the same size as your gift. Use it as a support to make the gift bags. Your gift bags will be ready in no time.

Gift Tags and Mini Wreaths

Now that your gift bags are ready, comes the most important part. The gift tags! Even if your gift bag is simple without any adornments, you can easily spruce it up with gift tags and if its Christmas season, you can add mini wreaths. If you have some wired pipe cleaners, its great! You can use them. Else its time to go organic and natural and make gift tags out of small snippets from your Christmas tree. How about some pinecones! Cut a piece of a chart with your friend’s name on and add a pinecone for the Christmas touch.

Personalise Using Old Newspaper

Ever practiced typography? Or maybe you are particularly skilled at sketching? Try your hand at personalising your gift bags with old newspapers. Download an alphabet template from here. Trace it onto a newspaper; cut the letters and paste onto your gift bag for a more personalised touch.

Homemade Stamp Using Potato

Your gift bag is all plain and dull and crying out for some decoration! Stamp it! Stamping is all the rage when it comes to gift bags and gift wrapping. If you don't have any readymade stamps lying around, make your own using potato stamps. Cut a potato in half; Draw your shape on one half; Cut off the excess, leaving your shape raised above the rest. Use this as a stamp to make your desired shapes, be it a heart or a tree onto your gift bags according to the occasion.

Decorate with Tassels

How about a tassel for that extra special touch! Tassels are easy to make. All you need are yarns, steady hands and some patience. Make your tassels as instructed here and add them to your gift tags for that unique touch. Tassels are something that never goes out of fashion and is a staple skill to know if you are into crafts.

Don't Leave Out the Washi Tapes

Don't forget those trusty washi tapes! You can create beautiful designs using washi tapes and how easy is it to make them? Just peel, cut and stick! Washi tapes are themselves colourful which add to the novelty. They take seconds to make and are always fun.

10 Awesome Handmade Gift Bags to Bring Out Your Crafty Side

Traditional Gift Bag

If you are looking to make traditional gift bags without any fancy additions, then this is the one. While this is easy, you might need patience and follow every step. You can also use wallpaper or gift wraps instead of card stocks.

Professional Looking Gift Bags

Supplies:
  • Box of an appropriate size
  • Ribbon
  • Paper
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors
  • Cardstock
  • Pencil

How to make it:
  • Place the box on the cardstock on one of its ends and trace the outline with a pencil. Cut out the rectangle and one more, slightly smaller than this one around 4 inches wide. Cut the smaller rectangle lengthwise in two.
  • Set the box on the cardstock and trace an outline with an overhang of about 3 inches on all sides. Cut the paper along the line traced.
  • Fold about two inches of the paper and create a crease. Position your box so that it sits right on the crease. Wrap the edges of the paper around the box and use a glue stick to seal it off.
  • Place the box on the wrapped end and close one end as if you are wrapping a gift. And apply glue on the paper. Make sure that the glue doesn't touch the box.
  • On the open end, pinch the opposite ends together and crease it for a neat look. Now is the time to decorate the gift bag. Let your imaginations run with stamps or dabbers, whatever is in hand.
  • Shimmy the box out of the bag and re-crease the bag on the open end.
  • Take the strips of cardstock paper from step one. Apply glue to the smaller ones and insert them in the folds on either side of the open end to support the handles. The bigger piece goes to the bottom with the glued side down.
  • Punch evenly spaced holes in the top of the bag in either side for the handles. Cut two pieces of ribbon around 10 inches in length. Thread it through the holes and knot them in place. If you’d like to add gift tags to the ribbons before knotting them.

Cardboard Gift Bag

If you are environment conscious, always look for environment-friendly gifts and recycling. This should be right up your alley. Plus it's a great way to use up all those empty cardboard boxes you were planning to throw away!

Recycled Cardboard Gift Boxes

Supplies:
  • Cardboard Box
  • Fabric Scraps (Lace, Tulle)
  • Hole Puncher
  • Glue
  • Scissors

How to make it:
  • Identify the side of the cardboard box that has been glued together and peel apart. Do the same at the bottom of the box too.
  • Trim the excess in the top of the box.
  • Glue the box back together but inside out. Your box should look like it has been turned inside out.
  • Pinch the short ends of the box together and form a crease, quarter way down the bottom.
  • Make similar evenly spaced holes in the top of the bag for the handles.
  • Thread your lace/ribbon/tulle through the holes and knot them. Don't forget to add gift tags of you are adding any.
  • The gift bag is your space to decorate it however you want.

Dip Dye Gift Bag

Are colours your thing but you find it awkward and messy? Try this easy to make Dip Dye Gift Bag. Remember to go easy with the post dyeing rinsing- you don't want to be rinsing all that colour away, only the excess!

Dip Dye Gift Bag

Supplies:
  • Fabric Dye
  • Fabric Favour Bags
  • Water

How to make it:
  • Take a small container (preferably glass) and mix 3 capfuls of dye with 3 cups of warm water.
  • Set the favour bag half in the water and let the other half hang out. If the fabric floats use a fork to weight it in.
  • After a few minutes, take it out and rinse in warm water and set it to dry.

No-Sew Gift Bag

Who doesn't love an easy to make gift bag that in no way requires sewing? These are insanely easy to make.

No Sew DIY Gift Bag

Supplies:
  • Fabric
  • Fabric glue
  • Scissors
  • Adhesive contact
  • Sponge
  • Paint
  • String

How to make it:
  • Cut 2 equal pieces of fabric. The size depends on your gift.
  • Apply glue to three sides of the fabric and stick the two pieces together.
  • Once its dry, turn it inside out. This gives you a new seam.
  • Use the adhesive contact and make a stencil in your desired shape, a heart maybe.
  • Stick it on your bag. Place a cardboard inside so that your paint doesn't transfer to the other side.
  • Using your sponge apply the paint in the stencil, and remove the adhesive contact.
  • Place your gift inside and tie it with a piece of string.

5-Minute Gift Bag

Already know the basics of sewing? Have a sewing kit at home? That's all you need to make this super easy gift bag.

5 Minute Gift Bag

Supplies:
  • Fabric Scrap ( 7″ x 8″ for a small bag and 8″ x 10″ for a big bag)
  • Satin Ribbon
  • Safety pin
  • Sewing kit

How to make it:
  • Place the fabric wrong side up and fold 1” lengthwise at the top. Steam press to form a crease. Stitch it with a ½” seam allowance.
  • Fold it in half and stitch the ends together with 1/4 “ inch seam allowance. Skip the very top. You need space to insert the ribbon.
  • Turn it to the right side.
  • Pin a safety pin to the end of a ribbon. Use it to run the ribbon through the opening you had stitched earlier.
  • Once it’s out through the other end, make a nice bow to finish off.

Metallic Gift Card Holder

Metallic shades never go out of fashion! The shine and the gleam are so elegant! If you have gift cards for your friends, how about making a bunch of gift bags to give them in.

Metallic Gift Card Holder

Supplies
  • Vinyl
  • Velcro
  • Hot Glue
  • Scissors

How to make it:
  • Trace the size of the gift card on the wrong side of the vinyl. Cut it a little bigger than your gift card and more than two times taller.
  • Fold the vinyl to the size of the gift card. Clip it in place and sew them together at the wrong side of the vinyl.
  • Cut the remaining part of the vinyl in a triangle to form the flap. Flip over to the right side.
  • Stitch the velcro to the flap and also the gift bag.
  • You can use contrasting colours of vinyl and hot glue to decorate it as you like.

Gift Wraps and Bag: A Walk Thro' History

Gift wraps and bags are something that is something so innocuous and a part of our daily lives that we don't stop to think about its history. But when you think, it really piques our interest. Doesn’t it?

Gift giving has been around for ages. Many civilizations had the culture of giving gifts during special occasions and holidays. But how long has gift wraps been around? Ideally, gift wraps were documented in ancient China with the invent of paper.

But in the western culture Hallmark is credited for the modern day gift wraps. In 1917, they introduced wrapping paper during the Christmas season. The modern-day gift bags were introduced again by Hallmark in 1987. Many accessories like curl cascade ribbons were also introduced by Hallmark taking the industry by storm. The industry has grown so much that there are gift bags with sound technology too.

Not Crafty? Stock Up on Handmade Gift Bags

Source www.etsy.com

While mass-produced gift bags are an easier and trendy way to go, handmade gift bags have their own appeal. Many prefer going for handmade gift bags just for the same reason. But not all of us have the time or crafty enough to make DIY gift bags. See, we do hear your thoughts! And that is why we did your research for you.

  • Etsy: the common marketplace for all things handmade and that includes gift bags.

  • Paper Theatre: the manufacturers and exporters of unique handmade paper and paper products. You can fulfil your desire for handmade gift bags here. However, it supports only bulk buy.

  • Craftsvilla: the home for ethnic, handmade and vintage products made in India. You can get your gift bags with a desi touch here.
Writer
Sunandha Wilis
After spending 12 years in the hectic corporate world, Sunandha quit the industry to follow her passion for writing. She enjoys writing on a variety of subjects including travel, health, beauty, fashion and technology. Apart from writing she also dons the hat of an editor from time to time. Her time off is spent listening to music and wrestling with her boys.
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Going that extra mile

A well thought of, carefully chosen gift no doubt requires effort, but if you've put in all that work, wouldn't you want it to look the part too? A suitable gift wrap, a pretty gift bag, a handwritten note and maybe a small extra surprise can turn receiving a gift into a memory to cherish and it completely worth the effort. You could have it professionally wrapped for that sleek look, but nothing beats the charm of a gift wrapped at home with a little love.