Gift bags made from envelopes
The event for which I needed that non-Satanic craft was this past weekend. In addition to little demon-free booklets, we also made these mini gift bags. "Baglets," as one participant christened them. (Or maybe you'd spell it "Baglette"? Looks more elegant than spelling it like "piglet." Beats me.) If you, too, would like to make Baglets out of envelopes, here's how.
Find an envelope of any size. (I embellished these by printing a label on the front of them first. You can use my design if you want; these PDFs are set up according to how my printer feeds envelopes through. If yours is different, you might need to experiment. Download the label for a small A2 envelope or a larger 6x9 envelope.)
1. After you've finished printing a design on your envelope (optional), seal it shut.
2. Cut off one end of the envelope.
3. Fold one side in toward the center (maybe about an inch or slightly less). Do the same with the other side, then fold the bottom up by the same amount, making creases in the paper.
4. Put the bag over one hand. Use your other hand to shape a flat bottom for your bag, pushing the bottom center crease downward, causing the side folds to buckle out. Crease the corners of the bottom into triangles.
5. Use a bit of double-sided tape to stick the corner triangle flaps to the bottom of the bag.
6. Reverse the folds along the sides of the bag to give it shape.
7. If you like, punch holes and thread ribbon through for a handle.
All done. You can fill your Baglets with candy for party favors or put little gifts in them.
Update: Try this envelope gift bag project with decorative masking tape.
140 comments:
This is very cool!
(I just wanted to be the first commentator!)
Hi Megumi! Congratulations! :) Now go join Facebook.
brilliant...as usual!
I am really loving these! Now I need to come up with an occasion for little gifts.
Cute, definitely will have to try.
This is such a clever idea! Now...to find orange envelopes like yours...
Mine are from here:
http://www.actionenvelope.com/ae/control/product/~category_id=OPEN_END/~product_id=EX1644-11
This is so cool. I could actually do this! Thanks for sharing!
Supper cute, Genious really! I love your blog!
Well - now I know what to do with all of those leftover mismatched envelopes I have! Great recycling!
What a great re-use. I, personally, like Baglette. It looks more feminine and a little French.
Jessica, you are so amazingly (is that a word?) creative! I'm impressed with your "nondemonic" bags made from envelopes. I can always count on finding interesting, colorful, and unique ideas on your blog.
www.matissecolor.blogspot.com
love this idea!
I agree with Baglette being feminine and kinda french (all very ery good things ;). Jessica - i LOOOOVE your blog! And I love all the cute things you post here and tutorials you give! These little baglettes are the cutest idea and I cannot WAIT to host a little get together or something so that I can make them and try them out.
Mini envelopes made into baglette's filled with m&m's sounds too perfect to pass up! Thanks for sharing!!!
Now that is cool. LOVE IT>
Blog on sister.....
Love this idea! It's so clever and cute!
Wonderfully clever and fun! Thanks for the simple to follow tutorial!
oh. my. goodness. this is FABULOUS. i am SO making one of these when i get home.
i'm always making cookies to give to people, and i have to buy some little box from somewhere, or wrap them in cellophane. this is so much better! hope it works.
Toooooo Cuuuuuute!!!
This is great! perfect for party favors!
brilliant wee tutorial. I have a huge stack of shiny gold envelopes that I bought on ebay in a rush of blood to the head and my opportunities to use them are *never* as frequent as i'd expected (somehow too ostentatious for most of the cards I make!) so this is a brill option for using some more of them.
Cheers!
oh and I should just like to stick my neck out and say that I am firmly in the Baglet camp!
So cute. What a great idea for recycling envelopes. I will have to try this technique for sure.
Those really are cute! I bet even I could make some. ;-)
FABULOUS!
What a cute idea! Thank you for sharing!
How super cute! I'm totally going to make some. Where do you get the colored envelopes?
Oh good lordie how simple! We have a friend's mother who has a job shelving cards... she gives Zoe extra envelopes to play with sometimes...next time i will have to snatch some for myself! Great party favor idea too!
This is VERY cool!!! I will be giving it a try! TFS!
that is genius!! i love it.
totally love the design. But the real reason i commented was to say YOU HAVE SAME INITIALS AND LAST NAME AS JUGHEAD JONES! I love him! :) he's from the Archie comics fyi. :)
what a simply fabulous idea!!!
You always have the best DIY crafts- thanks for sharing, LOVE this one!! :)
i. love. it. yay.
So simple and smart! Thanks so much for sharing. I ran out of gift paper and gift bags, just as I had a party to go to (YIKES). But Im gonna make these soon!
The secret underground world of stampers calls them Bagalopes:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/
Fab.
love reuse projects where the new item is infinitely more cool than the original ;o)
have you made any with those window envelopes? hmmm, will have to go & experiment...
Very clever and cute!!!
Such a great idea, Now I know what to do with my extra envelopes.
Too cute!! great idea:) I love crafts with paper... - SiSi
www.mycraftthingies.com
I really like your gift bags, what an excellent and unique idea!
Off to browse some more of your delicious blog!
With love
Julia xxx
holy cow these are very cool!
adorably cool. can't wait to try it.
Thoroughly and satisfyingly ingenious!
Love these :o)
you're a genius.
And if you take an envelope apart to use as a template (yes, I make envelopes out of wrapping paper & maganzine pages), you can use that to make bags out of _anything_.
Or here's a printable template for one.
This is just terrific -- thanks!
Fantastic idea. Will definitely be trying this out :)
How cool! And so easy. Thanks.
What a creative idea! Also really budget friendly.
this is an oldie but goodie! i love what you have done with them. this is my new favorite blog.
Thank you sooo much! This made my afternoon.
Jess, you are a superstar! :D
I needed something like this for my baby shower party favours back in August and despite Googling the heck out of it, couldn't find any instructions. I've filed this one away for future use!
In the end I didn't make it to my own baby shower (my baby was born that morning!!!) but did manage the night before to dress up some tiny pot plant seedlings with iddy biddy nappies made of white felt.
o_O
Keep it up, this site is brilliant, as are you my friend!
these are awesome! i am totally going to make some of these like, RIGHT NOWISH!
these are great! I am going to make some of these like, RIGHT NOWISH!
this is a fabulous idea! so creative.
wonderful!!!!
I can't wait to try this one! Awesome idea!
Are you kidding me? yOU freaks. Go to the dollar store , buy a bag, and spend all that wasted glue time kissing your lover. Get a life.
great idea,,!!!! this is what life is all about, using your God giving talents, to be creative,thanks, for sharing..
this is simply great!
it could save me a lot of money at wrapping easter presents =)
Awesome...thanks for sharing.
love love love your stuff!
Just made it!! It turned out so cute,! and to think I was going to use a plain brown paper bag.( which I was going to punch holes and put ribbon though it and stamp the bag)which is A! ok also, but I love this idea,,,I put a blank book ( got at dollar store)in the bag for a gift, now I need to make my own books, which you also show how to do,THANKS a bunch!!
Yes, that is right( what Amy said),,, ask the card lady at your local Wal Mart.. just maybe she will give you some envelopes,orange ones too!!!!!
love this! will definitely be trying it out!
Jessica, you are a genius! I had to grab an envelope WHILE I was reading to try it out. Fantastic! I see some "Easter baskets" in my future. I LOVE these things! Thanks!
Whitney
Whisker Graphics
This is an incredible idea! I like the stamp used on them as well.
You are a genius. Another something something that I can make with junk mail envelopes!
This is SO BRILLIANT! And so obvious I wonder why I didn't think of it! :P lol.. Awesome stuff! Thanks for sharing!
This is awesome. I always think going out and buying gift bags is silly, now I can make them!! Thanks so much for the tutorial and idea!
This is brilliant! I'm totally trying out the project. I love your label, too.
these are great. if you don't have tissue paper for them try this http://infusedgoods.blogspot.com/2009/03/tissue-plastic.html
This is so cute! I never thought of doing this with envelopes :)
That is the best idea I have seen today!! Love it, so creative
Beautiful, thanks for the download!
What a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing.
I love this! What a simple way to add a personal touch to a gift. Now I feel a strong urge to go down the card aisle at the drug store and steal some of the envelopes...
I have about a bizillion envelopes and I am so grateful for this tutorial. It is awesome. Love this.
Thank you
So fun! Thanks!
Super cute - thanks for sharing
Those are awesome!
This is so wonderfully simple! Thanks!
Love this!!! I had to try. I am usually intimidated by DIY projects but this was so easy. I can't wait to use this for wedding favors. Thanks!
Oh hello - what a fabulous idea!
You are so clever. Lynn
Awesome idea! Thank you!
Sheila
This was a very easy project, I've made a whole handful!
I really liked this tutorial! Excellent instructions, tried it out and works like a charm. I found some neat custom return address stamps to save on some printer ink, self-inking stamps are great for projects like this
- bookmarked :)
Awesome idea! Loves it! :)
oo! great idea! I want to try one right now! I see a new purpose for junk mail...
This is a great idea. A very good idea for avoiding buying those gift bags @ the store that cost $3.00 or more.
fantastic!!!
I didn't know you can make it out for an envelope. That's brilliant! Thanks for sharing.
Your ideas are just great - just made one, great for easter, too!
Thanks for sharing!!!
Claudia from Berlin
Great idea! Thanks a lot. I'll try to remember it next time I need gift bags.
What a wonderful idea! I added a link to this post to my blog. reusing.blogspot.com
This folding instruction is very similar to the one in our DIY Gift Packaging Kit that also includes instructions for folding boxes, envelopes, and trimmings from paper.
You can view/purchase the kit on our Etsy shop at:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17144327
Awesome, It is such a great idea. Thanks for sharing :)
This is so super-simple and beautiful too! Thanks for the tutorial, I'm going to make some this morning!!
These are great, thanks for sharing your tutorial!
love them
This is a fantastic idea! Thanks so much for sharing! I will use this to hold the prizes from my monthly Scrapbooking challenge!
Thanks again!
www.happy-to-scrap.blogspot.com
I saw this tutorial when you first posted it. I was looking for a way to present my homemade soaps and when I saw this project - I was stunned! I went to the dollar store and asked for the left over envelopes each week. Do you know they consider that TRASH! I now use this for my soaps, printed a little message on the bags and hand them out everywhere!
Thanks for your postings. I have found MANY usable ideas from your site. I mean ACTUAL, USABLE IDEAS!
Your awesome!
Great tutorial! I hope to use it soon!!
Hi Jess, I made a link from my blog to this tutorial, thanks!
http://www.mycraftthingies.com/2009/04/gift-bag-from-envelopes.html
What a cool idea. Thanks for sharing
Oops! Here's my link to the post I mentioned your project in.
http://www.keeperofthecheerios.com/2009/05/fun-affordable-ways-to-decorate-your.html
Those are SO cute! I love this idea. :)
I linked to your fabric panel tutorial in my recent post. I hope you don't mind but if you'd like for me to remove it please just let me know. :) You have such an awesome blog. I will definitely be returning for more fun ideas on things to make.
Really a great idea! it is good use of envelop. The hand made bags may use to give as a gift.
Awesome good idea! The best uses of useless envelops I appreciate.
We had a lovely time using this tutorial.Thanks for making it available.
I adore this tutorial!!! Great idea!
Hi Jess,
Linked to this tut on my blog. Let me know if you'd rather I didn't.
Thanks,
Nancy Ward
http://paperfriendly.blogpspot.com
We tried this out and loved the results! You can check out the pics at http://greenpaperco.blogspot.com/2009/07/gift-bags-made-from-envelopes.html. So super cute! I work at Green Paper Company in Ravenswood and we love your blog. I'll see you at the Craft Social this Friday!
Pleasure is spread through the earth
In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.
nice post and thanks for sharing...
This is a great idea, I have just tried it with an envelope of mine, however, found that it was too thick. Probably better with a thinner paper. I will try again
It's a great idea! Can I link your post?
Sure!
This is a wonderful idea. We sell lots of envelopes and I would love to suggest this to some of our "craftier" customers. Nice work!
Nice idea..I will try this one.
This is great! Here I am sitting in my office on a rainy Monday morning and reading about the baglettes when a coworker comes over with a large manilla envelope and says, should I throw this away or can you reuse it? LoL! I said I'll take it!!!
Prior to that, I was thinking these baglettes would be perfect for my wedding favors! Thanks for sharing your tutorial with us!
Much <3
The colored ones are adorable! Such a cute idea!
I love this! Going to make one right now!
Love Missy
-x-
Great idea I can use them for any occasion
Thank You!!! I just did one and worked great! I used clear stamps and some embellisments and voila!!!
I can't wait to try this out! I'm so excited! Thanks for sharing such a fun idea!
You're a genius. This is like advanced maths for me and it still worked. Also your bottlecap magnets are so cute. You're so generous to give us your cute designs and ideas and it really does inspire people to create :)
Oh my...another favorite blog has been found. I should be working and I've been perusing your blog instead...oh wait, that IS working. I can chalk it up to "research". :-)
You have a wonderful blog! I found you through This Young House, which I visit often but perhaps have never commented on (shame on me!)...another fave of mine!
Hope you have a great holiday weekend!
~ Alyna (or Allinna, according to your other post!) :-)
First,I thank to Jess to describe how make it..
"Lovely USE" and in markets wrap made from cellophane which is not eco friendly this is too much better option.Now,I know what to do with wastage envelopes.
"Again Thanks"Lovely IDEA
very nice instructions, seen these somewhere else but not so good instructions. love yours!
I love this! I used your directions and made goodie bags for my daugther's birthday from envelopes I had sitting around. I printed each girl's name on them first. They were fantastic!
I also made the magazine coasters. I love your blog!
Belle et bonne idée, j'aime beaucoup, merci !
I am trying to make this. Maybe I am not using the right kind og enevelopes. Mine is not standing up straight. I cant get the edges (triangles) to fold perfectly straight. HELP!
Gracias from Argentina!!!
Oh my, I've really never thought that this is as easy as described: but it is! Up to now, I just used a very usual envelope of very thin paper and it works perfectly.
Thanks so much for this tutorial!
Wow. I know this is a late comment, but I had to say I love this idea. I purchased about 500 random pink, red, and white envelopes from my church for $2. I knew it was an awesome deal but had no idea what I would do with them. Now, I have actually started selling Mary Kay so I decided I would deliver my small orders in these cute pink baglettes with my business card attached to the front. I just wanted to say I love it and so do my clients.
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