Handmade Paper Bags

About This Handmade Paper Project

Simple paper bags make wonderful containers for your wedding favors and small attendants' gifts, especially when the paper bags are made from handmade paper which coordinates with your invitations and other wedding stationery. Practice these instructions on a piece of plain office paper in order to perfect the technique before using the handmade paper.

Supply List

• 1 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of Handmade Paper or decorative paper
• Bone folder or Butter Knife for creasing folds
• Glue stick
• Pencil and ruler

Suggestions for Decorative Paper

• Handmade paper, such as the Garden Greetings plantable paper from Botanical PaperWorks
• Light-weight corrugated paper in vibrant or pastel shades
• Medium-weight scrapbooking paper with interesting patterns
• Medium-weight vellum

(1) Place the sheet of paper on the table with the long edges at the top and bottom.

(2) Fold the sides in to the center, allowing an overlap of 1/2 inch. Smooth the folds with a bone folder.

(3) Glue down the center overlap, wiping away any excess that oozes out.

(4) Press under a stack of books or press with a warm iron.

(5) Measure 5/8 of an inch in from each side, back and front and draw a line along each edge, from top to bottom.

(6) Score along the pencil line on both the right and left sides, front and back.

(7) Fold toward the inside of the bag and press firmly.

(8) Now mark a fold 1 inch from the bottom and cut away one side of the bottom flap in order to make the fold less bulky.

(9) Fold the bottom flap over the cut edge and secure with glue. Press.

Handmade paper is available from Botanical PaperWorks, including Garden Greetings seed paper and much more.

Written by Mary Reimer, co-founder of Botanical PaperWorks, and author of 300 Papermaking Recipes and Encyclopedia of Papermaking and Bookbinding.