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How to Make a Shirt Sleeve Gift Bag

Homemade gift bags have the added design element of creative imagination. When you want a pretty little fabric bag that looks original and special, consider unusual sources for the fabric. Make a shirt sleeve gift bag by repurposing a shirt you no longer wish to wear. When you choose a shirt made from fabric that fits the gift, you can create a coordinated gift that a recipient will enjoy.

Things You'll Need

Shirt (long-sleeved or short-sleeved)
Scissors
Sewing machine
Matching thread
Iron
1/2-inch wide satin ribbon

Instructions

- 1
  Select the shirt you wish to use for the gift bag. Both long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts work equally well, depending on what you wish to place in the bag. For example, use a men̵7;s long-sleeved dress shirt sleeve to hold a wine bottle and use a short-sleeved T-shirt sleeve to hold a small gift.
- 2
  Cut the sleeve from the shirt by making a cut parallel to the hemmed edge of the sleeve. The point at which you cut depends on how long you want the gift bag to be.
- 3
  Turn the sleeve inside out and sew along the cut edge with the sewing machine to make the bottom of the bag. Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn the sleeve right-side out.
- 4
  Fold over the hemmed edge of the sleeve 1 inch and press the fold with an iron. Stitch 1/8-inch away from the inside edge of the folded sleeve to make a casing for the ribbon. Leave about 2 inches unsewn for inserting the ribbon.
- 5
  Cut a 12-inch length of ribbon and thread the ribbon through the casing. Pull the ribbon through to make the ends even.
- 6
  Insert the gift into the gift bag. Pull the ribbon tight around the top of the gift and tie it into a pretty bow to finish the bag.

Sewing