Tutorial: Double Ruffle Gift Topper

Tired of putting the same old bow on your presents? Switch it up with a Double Ruffle Gift Topper! This unique gift adornment is reusable and made with recycled material.

This tutorial was conceived in the wake of a clothes swap. A group of friends got together with their cast-off clothing, and we spent the morning trying things on and picking out items to take home. As I gathered the leftover clothes, I was inspired to play around with a few of the pieces.

This tank top looked pretty bizarre on me, but I loved the bright red color and soft, thin material. Got an unwanted t-shirt lying around? Grab it and let's get started! (You'll also want: a needle and matching thread, scissors, and a piece of elastic.)

We'll start off nice and easy. Lay your shirt flat and cut off the bottom hem, leaving the stitching on the t-shirt intact. (Note: This 14"-wide shirt made a 3"-long gift topper. A wider shirt will make a longer ruffle; you can also use the edge of a sleeve if you'd like a smaller version.)

Next, take a needle and thread and do a running stitch through the stitching on the edge of the strip. I found that using big, uneven stitches made the most interesting pattern. Pull the thread to gather the strip as you go.

Stitch and pull until the whole loop of fabric is gathered snugly. Knot and cut thread.

Flip and arrange ruffle so the raw edges are facing up. Stitch the two sides together, inserting the needle close to the raw edges.

After stitching up and down through the ruffle (as seen above), you may need to make a few more stitches to hold everything together. Stitch until ruffle is securely held together. Knot and cut thread.

Almost done! Measure a piece of elastic that fits your box of choice. (If it's a small box like this one, you can substitute a ponytail holder.)

Stitch an "X" to make it a loop.

Place the bottom edge of double ruffle against the elastic and secure it to the loop with a few stitches on either side of the "X". Here, the thread is going around the elastic, not through it, so the elastic can stretch without breaking the ruffle.

Flip it right-side out and voila...

A beautiful, reusable Double Ruffle Gift Topper! Well done you.

Of course, we want to see your work if you try this project. Submit your images to The Gifted Blog Reader Gallery to share!

What do you think? Anything that needs clarification? I'd love your feedback.

Japan, Here We Come

Exciting news: we're going to Japan! We'll spend time in bustling Toyko, culture-rich Kyoto and end by relaxing in the hot springs of Hakone.

We'll be traveling with family. Though there's not some kind of gift wrapping enthusiasts' tour I can sign up for, I am excited to go and absorb all I can about Japanese gift wrapping culture.

I'm pretty certain that furoshiki shopping, and flea market rummaging will be on my personal itinerary.

I anticipate that simply being observant will teach me something about gift presentation in Japanese culture. Unwrapping this green tea chocolate from my husband's groupmate was a small lesson in color, pattern, and texture!

I hope to find some cool furoshiki (Japanese wrapping cloths) on our trip. Does anyone local want me to pick one up for them? I'll be eyeing ones in the $12-15 range.

"Individually Gift Wrapped!"

A few weeks ago we had our friend S. over for dinner. He had two gifts for us that he wasn't able to deliver that night, so he came by the next evening to drop them off. I wasn't home when he came, so G. was the first to see them. "She's going to flip out," he told S. He was right.

I came home to THIS. One smallish paper dumpling in the living room, and one large paper dumpling residing in our freezer. I just about keeled over.

(He's Taiwanese.)

The small package held a football for N., and the large package was - you guessed it! - a bag of homemade dumplings. Accompanying the dumplings were some charming, illustrated instructions.

I asked S. how he came up with this gift wrapping idea. He writes:

So I was trying to discuss what gift to give you guys over the dinner table with my mom and [housemate] L. The conversation went like this:

Me:  What should I give Charissa?
L:  You should give her 5 eggs.
My mom:  What about the dumplings I just made?
L:  And they are individually wrapped!
Me:  How fitting! And I'll wrap them into a huge dumpling!

So yes, it was a group effort.

S., thank you for such creative and fun packages.

And as for the contents? Delicious.

New Year's Resolutions: February Update

 

Is it March already? As I did last month, here's a quick check-in on my 2010 resolutions for The Gifted Blog.

1) Write a gift wrap tutorial. - Check! (and also "In process" since I'd like to do more)
- 1/11: Easy paper-covered gift basket

- Coming next week: a recycled, reusable gift topper!

2) Write a guest post for a blog I admire. - In process
The first offer I received stalled out. But, there's another guest post in the works that should be a growing experience! Guest posting means adapting to a new audience and learning how to talk about your work (both things I'd like to learn), so I will continue to look for more opportunities!

3) Teach another workshop. - Pending
I think the biggest block here is doing it alone - from promoting to processing registration to teaching, I feel a little daunted. There's also that scary bit in the beginning when you wonder, "Wait! What if no one comes?!" Just waiting on this one for now; I think the right time will come.

4) Learn from better bloggers. - In process
My resolution was to apply some teaching points from "31 Days to Build a Better Blog" (31DBBB) by Problogger. Making my way through the list, I perused many of these 27 Must Read Tips and Tutorials for Bloggers (Day 6). One of the most interesting articles in that list was 10 Reasons Readers Don't Leave Comments.

Whether you read the post or not, it got me curious - when you choose not to comment, what's the main reason? (Is it #6 on her list? Because I've come to grips that this entire blog is me geeking out about gift wrapping...)

Free Idea Friday: 4 Seasons Gift Tags

It already feels like spring here in Pasadena, with beautiful pink blossoms opening on neighborhood plum trees. Jealous? As a consolation we'll still let you use the pink "spring" tree on this cute set of Four Seasons Gift Tags by Rachel Weber of Fog and Thistle.

Rachel, thanks for the free printable tags!