After spending three months knitting socks and accessories for Christmas gifts, I decided these handmade gifts should be wrapped in something more creative than a box and store-bought wrapping paper. While sifting through my art supplies, I came across the most versatile craft item in my arsenal: the brown paper lunch bag. Creative fireworks exploded in my imagination and before I knew it, I had a super cute way to wrap my “Knitty Christmas” gifts.
Believe it or not, these bags are a snap to make . . .
Supplies:
- Red, green, and brown ink pads
- Polka dot stamps of various sizes
- Holiday greeting stamp
- Pine tree branch stamp
- Remnant yarn
- Pom-pom maker (optional)
- Anywhere hole-punch
- gift tags
Directions:
1) Stamp holiday greeting in the center of the bag in red or green ink.
2) Stamp pine tree branch under holiday greeting (or above on some bags to mix things up!)
3) Stamp random polka dots all over the front and back of the bag with red, green, and brown ink. Go nuts and have fun with it!
4) Fold top flap of the bag down about 2½”.
5) Using an anywhere hole-punch, create two holes in the center of the flap (but through all layers of the bag). Space the holes about a ½” apart.
6) Create yarn pom-poms to serve as bows. When tying off the pom-pom, leave long tails (at least 4″). My pom-poms were made using the leftover yarn from each pair of socks I made. The pom-pom actually matches the socks inside the bag!
7) Once your gift is inside the bag, thread the pom-pom tails through the holes and tie a knot. Tie a gift tag around the pom-pom.
How’s that for simple?
Stay inspired!
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c.b.w. 2012
They’re so pretty yet simple to put together. Lovely ideas.
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I’ll never cease to be amazed at the versatility of lunch bags. They can do everything from holding lunches to becoming art journals to wrapping gifts. The possibilities are endless. 🙂
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So very festive – and I love that the pompom matches the socks! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and that happy memories of your grandma help keep her with you for this first holiday without her.
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It seemed silly to let that extra yarn sit around and do nothing. There wasn’t enough of any color to make anything significant, so matching pom-poms just seemed like the perfect thing to do.
I still put my Grandma’s present under the tree. I made her socks back in September and they do still belong to her. Once Christmas is here, I’m going to open them for her. We both have the same size feet, so I’ve decided to keep her socks and wear them. She’d like that, I think. 🙂
May the holidays be warm and bright for you!
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I think your Grandma would love to share her socks with you!
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What a fantastic idea. These bags are really cute.
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Thanks! 🙂 They were a lot of fun to make, especially considering I didn’t make Christmas cards this year.
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Happy Holidays!
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Thanks! Warm holiday wishes to you as well!
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these are just so lovely. The bags will be saved and cherish, you can be sure of that. oh, knitted socks as a gift. how wonderful. May this Christmas, with its up and down feelings, be a blessed one all in all.
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Merry Christmas to you and all your loved ones! 🙂
I can’t wait to give everyone their gifts. Almost everyone knows they are getting a pair, but I can’t wait to see them smile when they which pair they got.
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You’ll all
have lots of fun for sure.
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Love these, C.B. The brown paper bags I sell my note card sets in will NEVER be plain again …
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Awesome! 🙂 Every brown bag is a blank canvas! 🙂
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How fun! Enjoy your Christmas and gift giving. Some of my best Christmas memories were centered around the handmade…
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Handmade gifts have always been my favorite, both to give and receive. 🙂 There is something so special about a gift that took time, effort, and creativity to make.
Happy Holidays! 🙂
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Once upon a time, I too, used to be creative with gift wrapping. Hope the receivers loved their gifts.
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They all loved the pom-pom. Every person ended up keeping it for one reason or another! 🙂
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