Make Your Own Gift Bags from Newspapers
Don’t chuck away those old newspapers. Use them to make stylish gift bags…
The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating stylish and efficient works of art right at home on a small budget. Recyclables now feature in almost everything – from used bottles and cans to used paper. With a little creativity, the final result can be stunning. Previously, you learnt how to make gift bags from paper using a template. This time we look at making gift bags with recycled newspaper.
What you need:
- A pair of scissors/blade/sharp knife
- 2 sheets of newspaper
- Glue
- Ruler
- Hole punch
- Ribbon or thick thread
Method
- Stick one newspaper sheet on to the other with glue. This makes the paper stronger and sturdier.
- Scale up the template to the size required and transfer or print out the pattern onto the newspaper. Cut out carefully using a knife/scissor.
- Press lightly along the back of the crease so that they will fold easily. Fold down and glue the flaps along the top edge of the bag.
- Next, glue the long, side tab to form a bag shape.
- Then glue the base of the bag, folding in the short end tabs first.
- Form the pleats down the sides of the bag by pressing the long edges together gently so that the newspaper is pushed inwards.
- Using a hole punch, make two holes on both sides near the top edge. Cut two equal lengths of ribbon or thread that are as thick as a shoestring. Thread each end of the ribbon/thread through the holes to make two looped handles. Knot the ends at the back of the holes to secure.
- For more support you can cut a piece of cardboard and glue it to the bottom of the inside of the bag.
Tips
- Use glossy magazine sheets instead of newspaper to give your gift bag a shinier look.
- Use the cartoon page of the newspaper to make the bag more fun.
- Do not place very heavy or sharp objects in these bags.
- To decorate, use large cutouts of flowers or other designs in bright colors on the newspaper.
- To convert the gift bag to a paper bag, do not add the ribbon or thread to make handles.
