Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Strings...

...these are a few of my favorite things!

In case you couldn't make it to our Holiday Open House (click here to see Facebook photo album), I thought I would share some of our creative gift packaging ideas! We wanted to give you ideas for gift wrapping that incorporate the use of fabric...afterall, that's what we do here!

Of course the obvious thing to do with fabric is make reuseable gift bags. Easy to make AND eco-friendly, we offer two great patterns from Valori Wells Designs:

The Project Bag $3.00 and Petal Pouches $10.95

Here are some clever ways to incorporate fabric in your gift wrapping by using fusible web:

Adhere fusible web to the wrong side of fabric and peel off the paper backing. Fabric is ready to iron on boxes and cardstock.

Cut out alphabet letters to "monogram" a package, spell out the recipient's name, or cut out seasonal words like Joy, Merry, Bright, Ho Ho Ho...lots of fun possibilities!

Fuse fabric to the lid (or both lid and bottom) of a plain gift box. This makes a pretty box that can be used again and again.

Fuse fabric to cardstock and cut out templates for cute decorative boxes or renaissance-style gift cones. You can also cut out pretty fabric gift tags.

Futher enhance your "handmade" gift wrap by embellishing with buttons:

Find fun items to tie your package together...pom poms, yarn flowers, sparkly fibers and specialty ribbons. We sell the pretty "holly leaf" ribbon (shown below) here at the Stitchin' Post.

Make "peek-proof" gift wrap, by sewing your gift shut. Place your gift between two layers of brown paper and sew around all four edges~ there will be no peeking until Dec 25th!

One final idea to share...building on the idea above, you can help someone count down the days 'til Christmas by sewing a special treat inside numbered packages. Hang them from a tree, the mantel, around the room, you decide!