Personalised bags to dress up your gifts and celebrations

What you need...

• Card, yellow
  
• Cotton fabric scraps, various
  
• Co-ordinating thread
  
• Ribbon, gingham
  
• Felt balls, green
  
• Pegs, pink
  
• Parcel tags
  
• Adhesives

instructions

1. Party Bag - 1 Using the bag template, cut two shapes from matching fabric. Lay one over the other, right sides facing. Stitch down each long edge, using a 1cm seam allowance.
   
   2 Match the bottom end of one side seam to the adjacent base point and sew across, using a 1cm seam allowance. Repeat for the other side, then turn the bag out. Use pinking shears to trim the raw edge at the top. Repeat until you have enough for all your guests.
   
   3 For the cross-stitch letter, draw a guide onto graph based tracing paper. Position a tag under the paper, then use a pin to make the holes needed to form the letter. Work along the points using red embroidery thread. Repeat until all the initials have been stitched.
   
   4 Trim each gift tag using two strips of gingham ribbon, 1cm wide. Stick a length to the top and base using spray adhesive, leaving 5mm space above and under the letter.
   
   5 Loop a length of gingham ribbon, then thread through a felt pompom, knotting one end. Insert the loop through the tag so it is secured by the knot. Fold the top of the bag, then clip the tag in place using a peg.

2. Pillow Box - 1 Using the template, cut a box from yellow card, then score along the dotted lines with a craft knife. Tuck in the narrow flap on one long edge, then fold the central scored line. Bring the opposite side over to meet the first, attaching with double-sided tape.
   
   2 Fold in the scored curved edges at both short ends to create the pillow shape. Place a piece of cake inside and seal by tying gingham ribbon around the box.