How to Make a Mini Gift Bag

Use luxurious fabric leftovers to make a special little gift bag.

Small things in tiny packages are often big-deal gifts. Make a mini gift bag using scraps of beautiful and luxurious fabrics leftover from other projects. A sweet little bag can be made using fabric that coordinates with the gift-giving occasion or the occasion that coordinates with the gift itself. Fabric makes the bag more durable and allows you to use it again and again. A mini gift bag using basic construction and supplies can be completed in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

• Outer fabric, small amount
• Lightweight fusible interfacing, small amount
• Lining fabric, small amount
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• 1/4-inch wide ribbon, 1/2-yard
• Hand sewing needle and thread

Instructions

1. Cut two, 7 1/2-inch squares from the outer gift bag fabric, two from the lining fabric and two from lightweight fusible interfacing.

2. Lay the two outer fabric pieces on your ironing surface with the wrong side up. Place the fusible interfacing on the fabric with the glue side down and match the edges. Iron the interfacing to adhere it to the fabric. This will give the bag crisp and stiff sides.

3. Place the fused outer fabric pieces together with the right sides facing. Pin three edges together. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. The unsewn edge is the top of the gift bag. Place the two lining pieces together with the right sides facing. Pin three edges together. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave a 2-inch opening in the center of the lining's bottom seam.

4. Press the seams open with your iron. Open the bag. Lay the side seam over the bottom seam. This will create a point in the corner. Measure 1 1/2 inches from the point and pin. Sew across the point at the pin mark. Trim off the point, 1/4-inch from the seam. Repeat on the other corner to form the boxed bottom of the gift bag. Repeat the boxed bottom on the stitched lining.

5. Turn the outer bag right side out and lay on your work surface. Cut two, 8-inch pieces of 1/4-inch wide ribbon for the handles. Fold one ribbon piece in half with the short ends together. Center the ribbon ends on the top edge of the bag. Separate the ends by 1 1/2 inches and pin to the top edge of the bag. The loop of the ribbon will be upside down and laying on the bag. Turn the gift bag over and pin the other ribbon to the bag in the same way.

6. Insert the right-side-out gift bag into the wrong-side-out lining. Match the top edges and pin around the top of the bag. The ribbon handles are sandwiched in between the layers of the bag. Stitch all the way around the top edge of the bag using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining's bottom edge. Hand sew the opening on the lining closed.

7. Press the top of the bag to smooth the edge. Top stitch around the top of the bag, 1/4 inch from the edge.