Make bags from envelopes and pretty tape
I got a little tape-happy the other day. This project is like the envelope gift bag tutorial from awhile back, but approximately 200% cuter due to fancy tape. These little gift sacks could be used as party favors filled with candy or as packaging for wee presents.
You'll need an envelope, decorative tape, and a scissors. I used 4 3/8" x 5 3/4" envelopes, but any size will work.
Seal the envelope and trim off one of the short sides to make an opening.
Wrap tape around both sides of the envelope. No need to cover the last inch, since it will form the bottom of the bag.
Fold about one inch of each side of the bag toward the middle; then fold the bottom upwards, creasing your folds well. You can vary the width of these flaps depending on the proportion of the bag you want. Flip the bag over and reverse the folds along the same lines for easier shaping in the next step.
Put one hand inside the bag, and with the other, push the bottom fold down. This will leave the bottom corners of the bag standing up. Press each corner into a triangle.
Fold both triangles down and secure them with more tape, covering the bottom of the bag.
Sources of fancy Japanese washi tape include Happy Tape, Cute Tape, and Ginko Papers. However, you might be sorry if you click these links because money will immediately fly out of your wallet. Be warned.
83 comments:
I loved this bag tutorial before and it's even better with the tape. So cute! Can't wait to try it.
p.s. I love your new banner. :)
bellissimi spettacolari, peccato che sarà difficoltoso reperire quel bellissimo nastro adesivo... grazie per le tue idee.Alessandra
love this simple idea!!
LOVE. Sharing on FB {http://www.facebook.com/pages/True-Love-Found/193211993971} right now....
And will be using for sure to make some cool favor bags for my son's upcoming b-day {the orange striped would be PREFECT!}
Thanks!
I got the orange tape from a Blick art store, so if you have one near you, you could check there.
Aaaaa. Just an hour ago I was browsing through Happy Tape shop and congrulated myself for not buying anything. Damn you and your idea.
Such a nice idea!
Now I'll search tape..
Thanks for sharing!
I shall go to these sites but I consider myself warned. I most likely will not emerge unscathed :)
VERY cute idea!
fantastic. :)
Fantastic idea!!!! this will be awesome to have on hand to give candy or cookies to people!! thanks!!!
You are so clever. I love this idea.
thanks for sharing! I love tutorials like this :)
Great idea, I am sure are going to use this idea during the holiday season, the gift bags in stores are insanely expensive!
simple and great! :D
Thanks for sharing ;)
Adorable!!
Evil, evil you. Showing a really neat tute, & then the links to those sites. At least I can't say that I wasn't warned. LOL
Lovin' your blog. Thank you for sharing.
~C8>
Wow, I've never seen you damned for one of your ideas before! lol Or maybe it was the "congrulated" that got me. ;)
Anyway, what I was planning to say before I was shocked out of my chair was: "My goodness, you were up and posting early this morning! I'm way behind here. However, I love the bags... and hope you send me something in one of them someday! ;)"
Love you,
Mum
Love this Bag Happy project and also the small gift box idea! Thank you for sharing your creative, orange- juices with us!
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
You are just so darn creative. Thanks for all the great ideas you post here! Even if I don't use them all, I think they help jump start my own creativity.
UT-OH. I think I'm about to become a funky japanese tape junkie...
Love it! Tried it! money flying out of my wallet as we speak for cute, kawaii tape to make more!
I WANT that tape. Thanks for telling me where to find it! :-)
Jess, I have been a follower of your blog for long, cant tell how inspired I get everytime I see a DIY project. You are very talented and my reader is full with to-do projects from ur blog
xoxo
Lovely and fun! :-)
What a cute idea! Gotta love pretty tape for all sorts of projects. These would be great for wrapping up little gifts!
For your Canadian readers, there's a new Canadian source for lovely Japanese tapes: www.omiyage.ca (But they'll ship pretty much anywhere upon request!)
IMPRESSIVE.
you are a genius! there might be some craft making hope for me after all ;)
<3 gina
Ingenious! Now I just need to throw a party for whatever reason, so that I can make favor bags.
These are fantastic! I need to get my hands on some Japanese tape!
Thanks for sharing!
endlesslyinspiredonline.blogspot.com
What fabulous little bags...thanks so much for this tutorial!!
Cynthia Schelzig
What a lovely tutorial! I had to link up to this one and the newspaper bag in today's DIY post on making a holder from origami sacks :)
I'm so excited! I've been carting around extra envelopes for years- and now I finally have a cool craft for them! Thanks!
What a fab idea! A good use for all of that cute and colorful Japanese fabric tape out there!!!
Just found your blog. Loving the name and the first picture I saw. :-)
This is fantastic. Thank you!
I can't go to the tape websites. I just can't. My wallet would not survive.
But I do love these little bags!
totally totally cute cute cute!
Fantastic tutorial! I have such a large collection of envelopes and hadn't yet found something to do with them (other than fold them over, staple them, and use them for notes to my kids' teachers).
This is a great idea for an eco-club at middle school. Thanks!
I just made this and not only is it brilliant, and cute but it's SO easy!! Going to make tons!!!!
AWESOME...This is great for themed birthday party bags. Loved making my own and this is smart!
So fabulous! Holding on to my wallet right now teehee..
Neat!
WOW!!! I would have nevsr thought to do this. The will make great party bags and gift bags for smaller items. Thanks for sharing this idea and the sources for your tape!
oh, how wonderful! by the way, I was at Wal-Mart today, looking at school supplies that I don't need, and I saw the orangest post-its I've ever seen. I thought of you.
wow thats pretty genius. love the project
These bags are perfect, thank-you for sharing! Will make great little bags to hang from the Crimbo Tree (OK so a little ahead of myself..)Kx
Thank you! :) I'm writing from Finland!
hahaha! i just about fell to the floor when i read the sentence about money flying out the door because i actually bought some stuff from happy tape AND cute tape yesterday... even before reading this entry! :D
Wow, was I right or what?
Jessica, how on earth can you stand being so clever? :)
So cute! So glad I saved all those envelopes I've had since I worked at Papyrus..
So simple and pretty. Love it! :)
This is very good!
Getting a proper size gift bag is actually hard, but now we just need to prepare several sizes of envelopes and tapes in stock for any necessity.
Well, when are you going to send my birthday gift???
It's easy, but looks adorable with those bright colors. I did not know that Blick sells japanese masking tape.
Have a nice sunday!!!
this is sooo cute and easy to do... would be perfect to do with kids at school!
Awesome! Come people are so creative!
-Ann
www.allgreenproductsandservices.com
Great tutorial! I didn't have any cool tapes but I did draw something for a friend of mine :)
Es genial! Yo tambien lo he hecho y lo he publicado en mi blog.
Espero que te guste!
http://loquevenmisojos.zoomblog.com/archivo/2010/09/02/como-entretenerse-con-un-sobre-y-dos-c.html
This is just a too cute tutorial! I love it. Would it be ok if I link this tutorial on my blog? I have so many cute tapes from Japan and my mind is going crazy with ideas to spin on with this. Fab job!
You are so clever. I would not have thought of making bags from envelopes.
Witty Couture, go right ahead. Thanks, everyone!
Great tutorial!!!
Love it
Fantastic!! Thanks for sharing.
If you like boxes, here you can find more cute boxes for free download! Yeah!!
Wow that is clever!!
Great idea. I have to buy more masking tape :)
My daughter's birthday is next months and I was looking for something to party favors.
Thanks...
greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat idea:)
I just received my first (of I'm sure many to come!) order of Japanese tape. I love this idea and can't wait to try it out.
c est vraiment génial, merci pour le tuto, à bientôt
Qué buena idea! me encantó! Saludos desde Uruguay!
I think the envelope is gorgeous with the tape, just being an envelope, too.
thanks so much for posting! what a great idea! :-)
I realize you posted this a million years ago but I just found. And now I'm wondering how I ever got through birthday parties and school events without it.
How creative. I bet you can make them with any size bags, how cute would that be? Thanks for sharing the instructions.
haha. This is a great work of art. Simply beautiful! Affordable and creative bags made from a simple envelope. Love it!
Cheers,
Cathy@surgical instruments
This works great with larger envelopes too like A4!
Wow, they're so cute! I love your creativity, thanks for inspiring us.
Thanks!
What a creative idea! Love it!
Hi! I featured you beautiful tutorial on my blog!
you can get washi tape at http://wishywashi.com too
What a GREAT tutorial. Thanks for sharing =)
Saved in my to-do list!
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