Make your own gift bags

Gift bags are easy to make and lend a personal touch to each gift. The best part: The gift bag is closed with the help of magnets. It is an easy, yet clever way to wrap birthday presents, wedding gifts or presents for an advent calendar. We will show you, how you can create your own gift bags in no time, using wrapping paper and a few other supplies. Have fun and be creative!

Materials needed

• Gift wrapping, packing or colourful paper
• Self-adhesive magnets, e.g. S-9.5-0.75-STIC
• Glue roller*
• Scissors
• Decorations such as refrigerator magnets, bows, washi tape or similar
• Optional: bone folder

*Instead of the glue roller, you could also use a glue stick. It would, however, take longer to dry and can leave unsightly wrinkles in the paper.

1. Cut the wrapping paper

First, roll out the wrapping paper in front of you and double it back over itself, but without actually folding it. Next, take the item you want to wrap and place it on the paper. For the length, add at least 5 cm each top and bottom. The wider the item, the more you will have to add. For the width, add about 3-4 cm per side. Now cut the wrapping paper to size.

2. Fold and glue the sides

Place the paper in front of you, with the backside facing up. Fold each of the two opposite sides over by 1-2 cm. Now position both of these sides on top of each other and fold the paper along the opposite side. Smooth all edges. You could use a bone folder for this task, but this is optional.
Next, using a glue roller, add glue to one of the 1-2 cm wide paper strips. Fold the other paper strip over top and press down well to ensure optimal adhesion.

3. Fold and glue the bottom

To make the bottom of the gift bag, fold the bottom edge of the wrapping paper up and smooth out the new edge. Please note: The higher up you fold the paper, the wider the bottom will be. Now fold the bottom as shown in the pictures and glue it together using the glue roller.

4. Attach magnets as closures

Self-adhesive magnets are great for closing gift bags because they stay completely hidden. Fold the opening of the bag over twice and smooth out the edges. Now open the bag and, depending on the width of your bag, take two or more self-adhesive magnets. Position the magnets along the opening as shown in the picture, but don’t glue them down just yet. This way you can first test, whether the magnets attract or repel each other. Should the latter happen, simply take another magnet as counterpart and try again.
Once the magnets attract each other as needed, remove the protective film from one magnet and press the adhesive side firmly onto the wrapping paper. Repeat the process with the second magnet. Now the gift bag can be easily opened and closed.

Decorative refrigerator magnets are an alternative to the hidden magnetic closure. As such, they look beautiful on the gift bags and are a part of the present at the same time.

Option 1: Self-adhesive magnet + decorative magnet
All of our refrigerator magnets are suitable for this option. Choose a decorative magnet and use a self-adhesive magnet as a counterpart. Position the self-adhesive magnet out of sight in the folded opening. This way, only the refrigerator magnet is visible on the outside of the gift bag opening.

Option 2: Decorative magnet + decorative magnet
These magnets are suitable for this particular closure option:

5. Decorate the gift bag (optional)

Those who enjoy decorating can let their creativity run wild. Embellish your homemade gift bag using things such as washi tape, stickers, stamps, glitter pens, sequins, paper cut-outs, felt designs, etc. Homemade fuse bead magnets are also suitable as a gift bag ornament. Simply glue a ferrite magnet to the inside of the bag. Once the glue has dried, you can attach the fuse bead magnet to the outside of the gift bag.