{"id":64937,"date":"2024-12-09T07:07:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T15:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/?p=64937"},"modified":"2024-12-09T11:01:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T19:01:29","slug":"time-to-make-gift-bags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/time-to-make-gift-bags\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to Make Gift Bags"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-64937 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/20241202_164237_wm-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/20241202_164237_wm-sm-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Pointsettia Christmas gift bags\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-64935\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-64935'>\n\t\t\t\tPointsettia Christmas gift bags \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/20241202_152420_wm-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/20241202_152420_wm-sm-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Green Houses Christmas gift bags\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-64927\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-64927'>\n\t\t\t\tGreen Houses Christmas gift bags\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/20241124_125416_wm-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241124_125416_wm-sm-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Striped gift bag\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-64891\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-64891'>\n\t\t\t\tStriped gift bag\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>It is once again time to make gift bags. Obviously, Christmas is coming and these types of gift bags make wrapping a breeze. I know many of you don&#8217;t celebrate Christmas. These bags are great for any holiday including birthdays, anniversaries, saints days, Hannukah and any other you can think up. I use them for most birthdays. There is always more fabric, after all.<\/p>\n<p>The great thing about these bags is that they are reusable. The other great thing is that you can use ANY fabric; it doesn&#8217;t have to be quilting cotton. I have made some <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/PICT6518.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gorgeous bags<\/a> from upholstery fabric I got from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fabmo.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FabMo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Supplies<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fabric &#8211; I use either a half yard, a yard or a fat quarter. If you use a yard you can make 4 smallish bags, two medium bags or one large bag. You can make bags with any size piece of fabric and you can make a specially sized bag for a special gift. I once made a gift bag for a weed whacker!<\/li>\n<li>thread<\/li>\n<li>ribbon- I often save ribbon from packages and other gifts and reuse it for gift bags.<\/li>\n<li>Sewing machine<\/li>\n<li>basic sewing kit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For this tutorial, we will use a fat quarter of fabric<\/p>\n<p>1. If your fat quarter does not have a selvedge, create a hem using two folds so there are no raw edges. If your fat quarter has a selvedge, use the selvedge for the top. It won&#8217;t unravel.<\/p>\n<p>2. Press hem in place.<\/p>\n<p>3. Sew hem with a decorative stitch, if you have it, a zigzag or straight stitch work fine as well.<\/p>\n<p><em>Optional:<\/em> you can use embroidery to liven up or personalize the front of the bag.<\/p>\n<p><em>Optional<\/em>: If you have stitch letters on your sewing machine, stitch your name and the year so you know when you made the bag.<\/p>\n<p>4. Fold hemmed bag in half WRONG SIDES TOGETHER so that half of the hem is underneath itself towards the top and the fold is on the left. You will be making a French seam.<\/p>\n<p>5. Fold a piece of ribbon about 1.5 feet long in half. You can adjust the size of ribbon you use depending on how much ribbon you need to make a nice bow when you tie.<\/p>\n<p>6. Place the folded ribbon in the open side of the bag about 4&#8243; from the top edge\/hem.<\/p>\n<p>7. Pin ribbon in place.<\/p>\n<p>8. Pin rest of the right side and bottom closed.<\/p>\n<p>Use an 1\/8&#8243; seam allowance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54677\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54677\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_173959_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-54677\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_173959_wm-sm-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Sew first seam on gift bag\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_173959_wm-sm-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_173959_wm-sm-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_173959_wm-sm.jpg 832w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54677\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sew first seam on gift bag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>9. Starting from the top, sew down the right side, backstitching at the beginning and over the ribbon, 2-3 times. You want to backstitch at stress points to keep the bag from ripping apart.<\/p>\n<p>10. Turn at the corner and continue across the bottom, backstitching at the end.<\/p>\n<p><em>Optional:<\/em> round the corner. It makes sewing and turning easier.<\/p>\n<p>11. Turn the bag inside out, so the right sides are together and the ribbon is out of the way of the seam (It will be inside the bag, but I put mine as straight as possible towards the opposite side of the bag.<\/p>\n<p>12. Press seams, taking care to push them as far out as possible so there is no extra fabric folded near the seams.<\/p>\n<p>Use a 1\/2&#8243; or 5\/8&#8243; seam allowance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54679\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54679\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_185859_wm-sm-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-54679\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_185859_wm-sm-1-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Finish French Seam\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_185859_wm-sm-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_185859_wm-sm-1-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/20211211_185859_wm-sm-1.jpg 824w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 85vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54679\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Finish French Seam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>13. Starting at the top, sew down the side and across the bottom again to finish the seam.<\/p>\n<p>14. Open bag to make sure the raw edge is completely hidden inside the seam.<\/p>\n<p>15. Turn bag inside out and press.<\/p>\n<p>Voila! Your bag is really to use!<\/p>\n<p>Many people ask about labels. I punch a hole in a gift tag and thread the ribbon through it. You can also buy <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4f7EeUH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">basic tags with strings<\/a>** or <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3CYfqkq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gift tags<\/a>** and use those or stick a sticker onto the bag. I would recommend reusing gift tags. We do that, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Benefits<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>reusable<\/li>\n<li>reduces garbage<\/li>\n<li>good way to use fabric you might not use for quilts\n<ul>\n<li>Novelty fabrics<\/li>\n<li>fabric you don\u2019t love anymore<\/li>\n<li>Use fabric you already own<\/li>\n<li>orphan blocks<\/li>\n<li>vintage sheets<\/li>\n<li>Any fabric is suitable including velvet, brocade, knits, etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>provides you with the opportunity to buy holiday fabric without committing to making a holiday (or birthday) quilt<\/li>\n<li>quick method for wrapping<\/li>\n<li>If you track fabric usage, this a good way to use fabric quickly<\/li>\n<li>no need to rush out to buy gift wrap<\/li>\n<li>no tape or scissors needed<\/li>\n<li>small children can help wrap, or wrap their own gifts<\/li>\n<li>Fabric costs can be amortized over the years of the gift bag use \ud83d\ude09<\/li>\n<li>bags are made quickly<\/li>\n<li>hems provide a good opportunity to try out decorative stitches<\/li>\n<li>can quickly make a gift bag for an oddly shaped gift, such as the weed whacker I mentioned<\/li>\n<li>odd sized bags can be cut up later and used for different sized gifts<\/li>\n<li>I reuse ribbon I get from other places for the ties<\/li>\n<li>Easy to open and close the gift bag up again if the gift tag falls off<\/li>\n<li>Embellishment possibilities are endless, if you want to take the time. Gift bags are a great way to try out different techniques, stitches, embroidery. embellishments or use orphan blocks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54559\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54559\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/20211128_202951_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-54559\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/20211128_202951_wm-sm-240x300.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 85vw, 240px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/20211128_202951_wm-sm-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/20211128_202951_wm-sm.jpg 701w\" alt=\"Blue Flower gift bag\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue Flower gift bag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Drawbacks<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>takes time to develop a stockpile<\/li>\n<li>reusable gift bags have to be stored<\/li>\n<li>fabric costs are not insignificant<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t get beautiful mounds of boxed gifts under your tree<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Any gift bags you make will add to your stockpile. You can use <a href=\"https:\/\/quiltville.blogspot.com\/2005\/06\/leaders-enders-whys-and-hows.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leaders and enders<\/a> to make them, which means that your regular sewing isn\u2019t interrupted much .<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In Color Order <a href=\"https:\/\/incolororder.bigcartel.com\/product\/lined-drawstring-bag-pdf-pattern\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pattern<\/a> (and some information from another post)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/pdf.aquilterstable.com\/Trim-Tied%20Gift%20Bag.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trim Tied Gift Bag Tutorial<\/a> from A Quilter\u2019s Table<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can\u2019t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item\u2019s link in my post. There is <em>no additional<\/em> cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is once again time to make gift bags. Obviously, Christmas is coming and these types of gift bags make wrapping a breeze. I know many of you don&#8217;t celebrate Christmas. These bags are great for any holiday including birthdays, anniversaries, saints days, Hannukah and any other you can think up. I use them for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/time-to-make-gift-bags\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Time to Make Gift Bags&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[530],"tags":[19,255,359],"class_list":["post-64937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-530","tag-gift-bags","tag-project-bag","tag-tutorial"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64937"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65015,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64937\/revisions\/65015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}