Saturday, September 22, 2012

Paper bag Tutorial

When the grocery bagger asks me "Paper or Plastic?," I smile. Inwardly I giggle.
I say "Paper PLEASE!"

My Creative self eyes these bags with Pleasure, and a KIND OF ITCHY FINGERED CAN'T WAIT FEELING! ( I am also a fan of FREE) (Warning: These envelopes are RUSTIC looking)

So what can be done with a paper bag? Well, I have made party hats, collage envelopes, and Gift bags. For a start. I think about packaging more than most folks I guess, and How I would feel about receiving a pair of earrings in an envelope like this for Christmas:
 
I WOULD LIKE IT!
Today I would like to show you a Gift Envelope or "Secret Keeper."
Ready?
Ok, under your kitchen sink are bound to be paper bags, stored, folded up.
Get those bad boys out and cut the bag along a side crease down but NOT into the bottom of the bag. Cut around the bottom of the sack so you have two pieces when you are finished. It should look like this:




Well, those are the bottoms. The bag stretched out with paint on it looks like this:







Paint them. Keep in mind what you have for trims, die cuts, stamps, fabric, or what look you are going for. DON"T FORGET TO paint THE BOTTOMS of the bags because that is what we will be working with today.
They should come out looking kind of like this. Don't worry about the little jagged edges or places that do not seem well glued. This project is going to look Rustic and handmade which it is!
HOORAY for HANDMADE!!!!

Bag Bottoms. ( maybe upside down...please stand on your head)

Ok, this might be the Hardest part of the WHOLE THING!!! You have to wait until they DRY!
Then....
Snatch up one of those bag bottoms!


Fold it into Thirds. No measuring necessary here, just a rough guess. The top lip should fold down like a envelope lip.
( I know you are looking at my dirty fingers...)


I usually start with with the lip of the envelope, adding lace or fabric or additional embellishments. So, get your Thread Pusher ( sewing machine) threaded with a coordinating thread and set it on a satin stitch. A straight stitch will cut the paper, and you Don't want that. It is better to use a wide zig zag stitch. GOT IT?


I know it might seema  little weird to sew lace or fabric to paper but it will be ok.
 
 
Add embellishments as you like. layers of them with a place to write when you are finished is nice!
If you discover some not well glued areas in the construction of you envelope, satin stitch those areas together. Then sew up your side seams.
 
You should have something that looks like this, well it will look like yours...
 
Iron IT. That's RIGHT. Cover it with a dish towel if you like and put it on steam and IRON IT!
 
It is now time for a grommet. ( NOT VOMIT)
 
 
 
I am not a measurer, so eyeball it. If you don't have any grommets I will send some to the first 5 people who ask me for some. I am Grommet Rich.
I finished this one with a butterfly die cut and a rusted safety pin. So now it looks like this:
 
 
 


Ok? I am sure that you can think of a million better ways to alter this...So have at it.
and have a lovely day! I will answer QUESTIONS if you have any. Just leave me a comment and I will get back to you.

 
 

10 comments:

Dorthe said...

This was a very short look I had, BUT I LOVE WHAT YOU told me to do, with those paperbags,- I think you are a wonderful friend to show this tutorial to us -
Thankyou my loved Robin--------
I will give it a try when back again :-)
Hugs and happy saturday dear friend of mine.
Your Dorthe

Catharina Maria said...

Thank you Robin for this lovely tutorial .
I will do it later too .
Love ♥RINI♥

Happy Valley Primitives said...

LOVE these ideas! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful paper creations!

Ilene

I'm a Late Bloomer said...

It's the simple things in life that make me happy and your creative envelope did just that. Thanks for sharing!
eresa

Shane Pollard said...

I've always saved paper bags just because I love them.
Now you've inspired me to make something beautiful.
Paint and lace make a great team!
Thank you Robin

hugs
Shane

Angela Richardson said...

Love this Robin,and the way you explained it was funny, it really made me smile.
Have a great weekend,
Still smiling, Angela.x

Anonymous said...

That was awesome! I am pinning this and the next time I need a special gift envelope I am making one (or 12!!) Thanks for the inspiration!
xox,
kim

Debra said...

I also love paper bags, and now I will stop saying "plastic"~ although there are wonderful things to make with those bags (birds, for one). You are most surely the person who sends wonderful packages-I always hate to open them-I just sit and look at the package because it's so beautiful, and so You.
This was a great tutorial, and you've given me the push to get back to doing that on my own art blog.I love you Baggatha.
~Bean

My Creative House said...

What a great tutorial dear Robin, love the way you use these brown bags, the result are so wonderful, thanks for sharing.
Hugs Anni

Carol Stuck said...

I love your tut on the bags. Thanks for sharing and I certainly can't wait to try one of my own.

hugs!
Carol