How to Make Fabric Gift Bags

Learn how to make fabric gift bags. This eco-friendly Christmas, holiday, and birthday reusable wrap is so easy, that your only challenge will be picking fabrics!

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These DIY fabric gift bags are a great project for all those random scraps of fabric most crafters have. You can also repurpose old shirts or even pillowcases.

These easy sew gift bags are a simple project for sustainable gift-giving and will help you give presents in style.

Homemade Fabric Gift Bag Supplies

• Fabric – the sky is the limit! It is easiest to work with cotton and flannel fabrics.
• Sewing machine (I have this one)
• Ribbon (optional – I use this brand)
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Straight pins
• Iron 
• Thread

But How Do I Get My Cloth Gift Bags Back?

A valid concern, but I think in 10 years of making these, I have only had a handful of them disappear. Most people automatically hand them back after talking about how pretty they are. 

I have also trained my oldest son to get them back when he (used to) go to birthday parties. And make sure you get the ribbon back too. 🙂

I keep ours in a plain plastic tub and it takes up much less room than different tubes of paper gift wrap or bags and tissue.

How to Make Fabric Gift Bags

You’ll notice I don’t make our cloth gift wrap in any specific sizes. I think limiting yourself to certain measurements limits the gifts you give. 

1) Double your cloth, and lay your present over it. You’re gauging how much fabric you need. Cut it about 7 ish inches above the top of the present. I totally eyeball this and the key is to not stress about making it perfect. It will still be gorgeous even if you cut it a little big or a little too small. Relax! 

2) Place the fabric with the wrong side (the back of the fabric) facing you. Identify the part that will be the top of the bag. Then fold a seam about 1/2 inch, and then fold it again. Press with an iron and pin. Pro tip: the fabric is so much easier to fold for making the seam if you lightly spritz it with water.

3) With the fabric facing face up, sew a simple hem, double stitching at each end of the fabric.

4) Fold the bag in half so that the right side (pretty side) of the fabric is facing itself, and make a basic stitch around the sides and bottom like you’re creating a pocket, leaving the hemmed edge open.

5) Fold it right-side-out, and voila, a gift bag. Pat yourself on the back for being freaking awesome and not creating a bunch of paper waste.

Tie a pretty bow, and decorate with gift tag. 

Pro Tips

• Make a handful of bags at once to avoid having to create cloth gift wrap at the last minute.
• I like to precut and press the fabric at night while I’m doing something mundane like watching TV. It’s great busy work while Dateline is on the screen. 🙂
• If your fabric has a pattern that only goes in one direction, be mindful of how the finished product will look before you cut it. I’ve too often finished a bag only to realize the pattern is upside down. 
• For most sewing projects you should wash and dry the fabric before cutting to avoid weird puckering if you ever launder the finished product. But I mean, c’mon, these are gift bags. How often are you washing gift bags?

I am so happy to have pretty wrapping that can be used year after year. Also, I’m happy that wrapping a gift takes just seconds now. Seriously, me wrapping with paper is straight-up ugly. Watching me wrap a present would make you want to kick a small bunny.

Save the bunnies. Make homemade fabric gift bags.

Print Recipe

5 from 21 votes

How to Make Fabric Gift Bags

Learn how to make easy reusable fabric gift bags.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: DIY

Keyword: cloth gift bags tutorial

Author: Sarah Cook - Sustainable Cooks

Ingredients

• fabric
• scissors
• thread
• ribbon
• sewing machine

Instructions

• Double your cloth, and lay your present over it. You’re gauging how much fabric you need.
• Place the fabric with the wrong side (the back of the fabric) facing you. 
• Identify the part that will be the top of the bag. Then fold a seam about 1/2 inch, and then fold it again. Press with an iron and pin
• With the fabric facing face up, sew a simple hem, double stitching at each end of the fabric.
• Fold the bag in half so that the right side (pretty side) of the fabric is facing itself, and make a basic stitch around the sides and bottom like you’re creating a pocket, leaving the hemmed edge open.
• Fold it right-side-out, tie a pretty bow, and decorate with gift tag.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.