HOW-TO...It's a Wrap

Since folks have asked for more info, here are all of the juicy details:

I folded sheets from catalogs (3 to 4 pieces) into knife-pleats/acordian pleats and stitched them together into a sheet. I calculated how large the sheet needed to be by placing the gift to be wrapped on top and guestimating. Then I stitch across the pleated edges, which we'll call top & bottom, leaving approx. 1/4" seam allowance.

NOTE: roll up the edges of the sheet halfway up your gift when guestimating...remember, it's NOT like using wrapping paper!

Repeat making a second sheet of approximately the same size (you have a little wiggle room since you'll be cutting the side to side edges.) I pinked the top and bottom edges of both pages.

Next I put one sheet on top of the other - wrong sides together - and stitched down the two sides (parallel to the pleats.) When stitching, I left enough seam allowance to be able to pink the sides after sewing (1/4" worked fine.)

Returning to the top & bottom edges (which are independently sewn, but NOT sewn together, go to the center of this edge. I folded a line across the folds, between 1/2" & 3/4" in from the edge. Then I curved the fold from that point out to the corners where the stitch line up he sides met the ends. This creates a curved half-moon fold.

Do this on all four top/bottom edges.

You will have created a package/packet with self closing ends.

The thicker your "filling" (present), the further in you make your innitial fold for the half-moon.

I help to keep the package closed with the tying of ribbon. Then I added a gift tag (often two pieces of a catalog glue-stick glued together and cut.

Punch a whole in it.

Thread the tassles through and tie tassles to the ribbon or yarn used to tie the package closed.

Other options? Replace ribbon with yarn. Try an i-cord bow! The possiblities are endless!!

Voilà. Got it! Thought so!

It's a wrap!
(what to do with those Holiday Catalogs!)

What's a girl to do with the plentiful number of thick-n-glossy Christmas catalogs that fill her mailbox showing items that fall into the "someday I wish" category?

I mean... They must have spent THOUSANDS on producing them (afterall, I know my budget for a far less high-end catalog!) What a waste to simply chuck them aside!!

Hmmm...Gather up the catalogs and items you wish to wrap...Tear out pages in tonally coordinating colors (it helps to keep the package from looking too busy! I found that J Crew, Bloomies, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel were good catalogs to start with. There wasn't too much writing and the art direction of the catalogs was beautiful! Brookstone was not a good fit but Lands End would work in a pinch. I may make a few with text pages from Time Out (all text.)

Fold and stitch pages together (helps keep them from separating when you fill the package)...

Stitch and Pink and fold the ends in a half moon fashion and close the ends shut by wrapping with ribbon!!


I made tassles with yarn from the item inside...a little hint to start with!And voila!

If your pages are thinner than those of the glossy Bloomingdales (etc) catalogs, you can always layer a second page (two layers) underneath the top side page and fold away!! Because of the folding, the packages are pretty strong too!
No tape needed and I am able to use things I have around the house!