Embroidery Library Urban Threads The Study

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Embroidered Fabric Gift Bag

Embroidered Fabric Gift Bag

There's no need for a plain old box when you can wrap a gift in a stylish, custom-sized, reusable gift bag! It's wonderful for any occasion and perfect for hard-to-wrap gifts.


For fast work, embellish it with quick-stitching vintage redwork embroidery, and you'll have time to personalize a nifty, gifty bag for everyone on your list!

Supplies & Materials:

- 1/2 yard fabric (size varies according to the size of the gift)

-Tear-away stabilizer

- Masking tape

- Beaded trim

- Ribbon

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- Holly Square (Redwork)

First, lay the fabric wrong side up. Place the gift in a corner of the fabric. Wrap the fabric on top of the gift, covering about two-thirds of it. Also, position the gift about 2-1/2 inches from the bottom edge of the fabric. 

Shiny bronze fabric partially covering blue fabric with a snowflake and smiling snowman embroidery, all resting on a dark maroon fabric on a wooden surface.

Wrap the other side of the fabric on top of the gift. Make a small cut about 3 inches away from the overlap with the bottom fabric.

Gold satin fabric folded on a wooden surface with orange-handled scissors cutting a slit along the folded edge. No embroidery visible.

Unfold the fabric and lay it flat. Leave the gift in place. Measure and mark 2-1/2 inches from the top of the gift on each side.

Hand tracing neckline of a light blue shirt with a pencil against a clear ruler on a brown surface. Only hand and shirt collar visible.

Draw a line connecting the marks above the gift. Also, draw a vertical line from the cut in the fabric up to the horizontal line above the gift. Then cut the fabric along the lines.


We are wrapping a woman's large size sweatshirt and our fabric measures 17 1/2 x 28 inches.

Light blue folded sweatshirt with embroidery of three snowmen wearing hats and scarves on the front, lying on dark brown fabric next to a ruler and hand.

Fold the fabric over the top of the gift.


Use embroidery software to print paper templates of the designs at full size. Trim around the templates for easier placement.


Position the designs on the fabric and tape them in place with masking tape.

Brown fabric folded on a table with two paper patterns pinned or taped on it, showing a step in preparing fabric for embroidery or sewing.

Remove the gift and lay the fabric flat.


For perfect placement of the designs, measure from each edge of the fabric to the center of one of the designs. Then match the measurements to the second design and reposition.

Two white paper templates with floral embroidery designs taped to gold-colored fabric, a 12-inch metal ruler placed below for scale.


Place a small piece of masking tape right under the center point of each design.


Lay long pieces of tape out from the horizontal and vertical axis lines of each design.


Poke a hole in the center of the paper template and mark the center point on the tape. Mark the horizontal and vertical axis points as well.

Hand tracing a holly leaf and berries embroidery design from a printed paper onto olive green fabric taped in place with beige masking tape.

Remove the templates and draw lines on the tape by connecting the axis marks. These lines will be used for hooping.

Close-up of tan fabric on wooden table with white markings, a blue pen, and a metal Westcott ruler measuring fabric for cutting or sewing.

Hoop the fabric with a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Align the marks on the hoop with the lines on the tape.

Close-up of tan fabric stretched in a white embroidery hoop with white tape markers, set on a dark wood surface.


Place the hoop into the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, remove the masking tape, and embroider the design.


Repeat the hooping, aligning, and embroidering process for the second design. 


Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a floral and swirl pattern on tan fabric held in a square embroidery hoop, with white tape securing fabric.


We added beaded trim for extra embellishment. You can add any craft accessory.


To add the beads, cut a length of trim along the end of the fabric. Cut the trim about 1 inch short on each end.

Light brown fabric with symmetrical floral embroidery in light pink and green threads near top sides, stretched on wooden surface with pins along bottom edge.

Lay the fabric wrong side up. Fold the end of the fabric over about 1/4 inch. Add the trim to the top of the fold and pin in place.

Burgundy fabric with two white embroidered square patches featuring floral designs, finished with yellow ribbon and dangling clear and gold beads on wood surface.


With a zipper foot, sew the trim to the fabric.


Then, fold the other end of the fabric over 1/4 inch and hem in place.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching beige ribbon onto dark purple fabric, secured with green-headed pins, with part of white embroidered fabric visible.

To fold and sew the pouch together, lay the fabric right side up and place the gift in the center of the fabric.

Blue fabric gift bag with embroidered white snowflakes, a red bird, a snowman, and a yellow bird, laid flat on a wooden table with a gold cloth.

Fold the embroidered/beaded end of the fabric on top of half of the gift. 

Embroidered blue fabric featuring a snowflake and a red cardinal bird, laid on brown and maroon fabrics on a wooden table, with two white lace pieces.

Fold the other hemmed end of the fabric over the gift. Pin the top two layers in place. 

Folded fabric gift bag made of shiny, maroon and brown satin-like material, with two white rectangular embroidered patches near the top edge, placed on a wooden surface.

Remove the gift and with the fabric flat, pin each side together.

Partially sewn deep red satin fabric piece pinned and folded on wooden table; light blue garment with floral embroidery partially visible nearby.

Sew each side closed with a 3/8 inch seam.

Close-up of sewing machine needle stitching gold fabric trim onto burgundy fabric, with visible presser foot and part of machine head, on wooden surface.

Turn the pouch right side out.


Light brown satin fabric folded as a gift bag with green and pink floral embroidery on corners and green looped fringe along the fold edge.

Tuck the gift inside the pouch.

Hand holding open embroidered fabric gift bag showing interior lining with snowman embroidery and metallic gold and burgundy outer fabric.

Add a ribbon and bow for a fancy finishing touch and extra closure!

Gold fabric gift bag with embroidered floral patterns in green, white, and brown. Decorated with blue and white organza ribbon and a beaded trim along the bottom.