Gift Boxes and Bags - Gift Bag using your 8 x 8 papers

March Makes - Gift Boxes & Bags No3

 Gift Bags Using your 8 x 8 papers

Hi Crafters

This weeks make is a pretty gift bag. I have shown them before but they are worth another post as they have so many uses and are a great way use your 8 x 8 paper pads.

You can also make them using your 12 x 12 papers, cutting the side panels and base from the 4” cut off each side, however my instruction today are using your 8 x 8 papers 

To make - you will need:

4 sheets of 8 x 8 papers

2 pieces of ribbon 10.5” inches for the handles

Any decoration 

You may wish to reinforce the base with some card ( use your recycle card, I use cereal boxes) 

Cut 2 pieces in half (you will have one piece of 4 x 8 left over for the next bag)or to line the card to enforce the base.

sheet 1 8 x 8 front of bag. place on the scoreboard with any pattern going left to right and score at 7 1/8”.

Sheet 2 8 x 8 back of bag, place on board as above and score at 1.5” 7 1/8” 

Piece 3 4 x 8” Base of bag place on score board with short side at the top and score at 1/2”  and 3 1/2”.

Piece 4&5. 4 x 8 pieces : place on score board long side at the top and score at 1”,2.5” 

Turn and score at 1/2” 2” down to the 2.5” score line, and 3 1/2” 

Next at the 2.5” score line score from the centre point (where the 2” line meets the line across) to the 1” base score line on the left hand 1/2” side seam, to form a triangle, and repeat from the middle to the right hand 1” base line at the 1/2” seam .

Next cut the bottom side panels off 

Fold and burnish all your score lines The top piece of the front and back turn down .

For the base of the bag glue the 2 side panels on the front of the papers and attach the front and back, lining up the bottom edge. 

Then glue the bottom section (front side)  of these side panels and attach to the sides of the forming bag. If you want to strengthen the base of the bag add a piece of cardboard 3 3/4” x 7 3/4” ( I used cereal box card and covered with the spare piece of 4x8 paper. 

Now glue the side panels of the side pieces and pull up to attach to the front and back pieces of the bag, lining up the top and bottom evenly.

You will then have the basic bag with a 7/8” fold over at the top. Lift this up and mark 2” from the left and right side with a pencil mark and with your hole punch, lining up the front and back put holes where you pencil marks have been made. 

Next feed you ribbon through both sides of the front and then both sides of the back, to form the handles . Leave just a small end on the inside. Glue down with pritt stick or Hot Glue. 

Next run double sided tape on both of the insides of the top flaps fixing firmly over the ribbon ends and stick the flaps down. This will give a neat finish with a contrast paper showing on the outside. 

on this bag I have folded the top flap back rather than forward before adding the ribbon and so there is no contrast. This was because the paper was double sided and I did what the mixture of prints, but when your paper is one sided you will get a lovely white finish to the top of your bag.

Decorate with tags, Greetings etc. I have just added a gold tassel and will place a matching tag with this  to complete.

Dee