How to Make a Gift Bag Pattern

Make a perfect gift bag to enhance the presentation of your gift.

The bags can be any size, any color or design, on any type of paper. Have your children color designs on the paper to make the gift bag a family project. Use brightly colored ribbons or fabric for handles; add a few stickers or paper flowers for embellishments. A gift bag can be adapted to celebrate to any special day, whatever the season or occasion. Tuck contrasting colored tissue paper into the gift bag to create the perfect cradle for your gift.

Things You'll Need

• Heavy paper
• Pencil or crayon
• Yard stick
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Cut a large rectangle out of heavy paper, twice as long as it is wide. Lay the paper face down. Fold down the top of the paper 1.5 inches to the inside; crease sharply. This will be the top of the bag, which will be glued down in the finished product to add strength to the handles of the bag. For the pattern, temporarily use bits of tape through the process to be removed later.

2. Bring each side to the center plus 1 inch, the allowance for gluing the final product. Crease both sides sharply

3. Fold over each side toward the center beginning at each side crease. The width of the bottom or depth of the bag will be determined by the width of the fold. The depth of the bottom will be twice the width of this fold width. Crease sharply top to bottom.

4. Open the paper flat. Make a vertical mark on the paper beginning at the bottom of each of the four outside fold lines. Mark the paper 1.5 times longer than the width of each side fold when folded toward the center; the excess allowing for the overlap to be glued at the bottom of the final product.

5. Cut carefully on the four marked vertical lines.This will provide four flaps at the bottom of the bag, two long and two short. Fold inward and crease so that the bag stands on its own.

   Looking down into the bag, the short side folds should lie on top of longer front and back folds. Trim the front and back fold sides at the edges so there will be no bunching.The flaps will be glued together down the center of the folds in the final product.

6. Embellish the finished produce with handles attached by colored or occasion-appropriate stickers to the front and back of the bag, two on each side. Use fabric, ribbons or string for handles. Handles can also be attached by a hole punch and grommets, which are readily available at your craft store.

Tips & Warnings

• Use whatever embellishments are appropriate for the season or occasion. Photocopy photos of the recipient and you together or press on your hand prints. The gift bag will be a part of the gift just from you, whatever the occasion. Let your imagination be your guide.

• Avoid leaving sharp scissors near children.