Handmade Monday - Wine Bottle Gift Bag Tutorial

Good morning everyone. Bottles are one of the hardest things to wrap aren't they? This year I've made a few of these which instantly transform a lack lustre wrapped bottle into a thing of beauty. I hope you'll  agree. This is what you're aiming for.

These bags have been made with a definite festive feeling, however you could adapt to suit any occasion depending on the fabrics and embellishments you choose.
The gift bag is unlined and held together around the top by a drawstring fastening. This tutorial explains how to make the hessian bag from the photo. Hessian is a little like Marmite, you either love it or hate it, I love it (but incidentally I hate Marmite). I love it's smell, it's texture and it's versatility and it's price!

So let's get started:

You will need:

Fabric main part of bag  40cm x 22cm  (x2)
Fabric strip 44cm x 4cm   (Casing)
Fabric strip 88cm x 3cm (Drawstring)

Take the two main pieces of fabric and finish the edges to neaten them up. I actually didn't do that on this one because I wanted the rough and readiness of fraying hessian, but I did do a picture to show you what I mean.


See the zig-zag, just helps to stop the fraying



Then with right sides together, pin .....

and sew the 2 main pieces together

down each side and across the bottom taking a 1cm seam.......

 and reinforcing the stitching at the corners.

Reinforced stitching at the corners

Turn the bag inside out and press open the seams.

Now you are going to start making the bag look a little more boxy. At one of the corners of the bag, fold it so that the seams are aligned.





Align the seams by pinching the corners




Mark the point at which the width measures 10cm with a pin at each side.





Can you see how the width is 10cm? Mark with a pin





Then stitch from one side to the other.

This is what you should end up with.

Trim off the excess......

...... and turn your bag right side out pushing your finger into the corners to create that boxy shape that you're after. Depending on the type of fabric you're using it may even stand up on it's own now.

Now turn your bag inside out. Turn over approx 1cm around the top of the bag and then a further 2cm. Press in place.

Pin and stitch.

Now you are going to make the casing for the drawstring. Taking the fabric casing strip, fold both long side raw edges into the centre and press. At each end fold in about 5mm and press, to hide the raw edges.

I think I need a new ironing board cover!!

Mark the centre of the front of the bag along the top edge, with a pin. Start to pin the casing around the outside of the bag approx 6cm down from the top finished edge using the centre pin on the top edge as your starting and finishing guide.

Ensure that you start and finish in the centre of the front of the bag as this is where we need the opening to be for the drawstring.

Stitch into place. Don't forget to leave the openings for the drawstring unstitched!

Next make your drawstring. Take your strip. Fold the two long edges into the centre as before with the casing and press  .....

.....but this time, fold in half again and press. Finish off the ends as with the casing. 

Stitch around all edges.

Attach a safety pin to one end of your drawstring .....

.....and slip inside one of the openings of your casing.

Push it inside and work it all the way around the casing until it comes out of the opening on the other side.

Place your wine bottle inside your bag and pull the drawstring around the neck of the bottle. Tie a bow.






Ta Dah!!




...and with added gift tag



You're a genius! You've earned your self a glass of wine, shame you've just wrapped it up!

You'll notice that I have added a gift tag to make things pop a little more.

I have chosen a very plain fabric for both bags but your fabric choice can be as plain or as funky as you choose. Likewise, why not use ribbon for your drawstring if you prefer.

Now Wendy and all the crafters at Handmade Monday have been busy with their makes so that's where I'm off to now with my contribution. Make sure you pay a visit too or even better why not join in?

Tutorial - Stitch 'n' Flip Christmas Stocking

Hopefully by the end of this tutorial you are not all sitting there saying "flippin' stitch tutorial!"  I'll try to keep it simple with lots of pictures. It's basically a cheats way of quilting. I am not a quilter, so if you are an ardent fan of all things quilty best you look away now.

You will need about 0.5m of each of the following:
Wadding
Lining fabric
Outer fabric (Stocking back)
Scraps of fabric or chosen fabric (Stocking front)
Ribbons or trims, buttons or other embellishments

All seam allowances 1cm (1/2" approx) unless otherwise stated.

First you need to cut out your stocking shape. If you don't have one you can draw one from scratch or draw around an existing stocking.  Piece together 4  A4 sheets and stick them down onto a table with blu-tack, draw around the stocking or draw your stocking shape and then place greaseproof paper on the top, trace around the outline and cut out stocking shape. I tried to add a PDF file for you to download but failed miserably, so if anyone knows how to do it .......?

Using your paper pattern or template, you will need to cut out 5 stocking shapes in all. Before cutting out your outer fabric (stocking back) spare a thought for the way you wish the stocking to face, ie toe pointing to the right or left and cut accordingly.

So this is what you end up with.....
Lining x 2
Wadding x 2
Stocking back x 1
Loop x 1 (18 cm x 5cm)
Stocking front you are going to make up from scrap pieces of fabric or your chosen fabric, this is mine....

Pick up one of the wadding shapes and lay it flat on the table. Select fabric piece from your pile of scraps or if not using scraps, cut a piece from your chosen fabric. Place randomly on top of the wadding, bearing in mind the overall effect you wish to achieve and following the general shape of the stocking.

Then carefully start to tuck the pieces of fabric underneath the wadding stocking shape to get a better feel for what it will look like.

But don't trim your fabric to the exact shape, we do that later.



 If it helps you can make a quick sketch of where you want the fabrics to sit.

You can be as adventurous as you like when placing your fabric, joining smaller pieces together to create a width wide enough to cover your stocking However for the purposes of this tutorial, I've kept it simple as it's the stitch 'n' flip that I want to focus on not the patchwork.

Now we're ready to start stitching.

Starting from the top of the stocking, pin your first fabric piece into place. You may notice I've added a little embroidered snowflake to this piece, you may choose to personalise your stocking or embellish it with buttons, or crochet work at this point.

Now place the second piece of fabric right on top of the first, right sides together, matching edges across the width of the stocking.

Pin into place.

Sew into place. Sew through all layers - so that's your 2 pieces of fabric and your wadding.

Now flip open the fabrics and press (remember ladies your iron is your best friend).

Trim off some of the excess fabric  but still leave a big overlap of fabric over the sides of your stocking base.



You've just done your first stitch and flip! Take time to charge around the room doing cartwheels and whooping and hollering.

If you like, you can top stitch the seam you have just sewn, or sew a piece of ribbon along the seam (sewing though all layers remember) or just leave it as I have done.

Take the third fabric piece and repeat.

Pin together matching edges......

Stitch.......

.......and flip.

Then press....

....and trim off excess fabric.

You're getting the idea now aren't you? Repeat until you have stitched and flipped all of your stocking, it should look something like this....

and from behind.....

Now trim away the excess fabric around the edge, following the shape of your stocking. Some like to do this stage after you have sewn front and back together - it's up to you.

All done.

Now you're going to make the hanging loop for your stocking. Take your loop fabric piece and press each long edge into the centre.

Then fold in half and press again.

Stitch down long edge.

Now make a sandwich, yes a real one if you like, you may be in need of some sustenance by now but I'm talking about your stocking.

So get the piece of wadding that is left, lay the stocking back (outer fabric) on top (right side facing up) then place the stitch and flip stocking piece on top of that so both right sides of the stocking are facing and the wadding is on the top and the bottom.

It should look something like this. 

Notice that I've placed the loop you have just made inside the sandwich pointing upwards at a 45 degrees angle about 2.5 cm from the top of the stocking You will stitch this in place as you stitch the front and back together catching it in the seam allowance.

Pin in place and stitch all around the edge.

You can if you like clip around the curves before turning right side out but I don't bother.

So this is the exciting bit you are about to see your stocking for the first time. Turn right side out, pushing out the seams and press.

Aren't you clever!!!!

Now for the lining.
Place both lining pieces right sides together and pin.

Sew around the edge but make sure you leave a gap of about 10cm (4") down the straight back edge of the stocking. This is so you can turn your stocking the right way out. If this doesn't make any sense now, just do it anyway you'll soon start to see how it works.

Now place your completed stocking inside the lining that you have just made. Smooth it all out to the sides and edges and align the seams around the top edge then match edges and pin all the way around.

Now stitch.

This is my favourite bit.  Put your hand inside the gap you left in the lining and pull the stitch 'n' flip stocking through it, like this

It should end up like this. Press it.

Check all edges have been caught in around the top before you finish off the next bit.

Press the edges in on the gap that you left. Pin it and stitch the gap closed by sewing close to the edge.

Now push the lining back inside the stocking ensuring that it fits right into the toe. You should have a nice little trim of lining fabric showing around the top of your stocking. Press.

Now hang up your stocking stand back to admire your genius and soak up the wild applause from appreciative members of you family.

Well done - you did it!!!!


This is so easily adaptable, use up scraps (I just used the fabric I already had) add embellishments or go all out and plan a superb co-ordinated colour scheme, it's up to you.

I hope I haven't confused anyone, I appreciate it is quite a lengthy one, email me if you have any queries.
I'm going to add this to my new tutorials page for ease of reference.

Happy Sewing!