Gifts like candy, hot chocolate mixes or handmade gifts are often placed in cellophane bags, or wrapped as a gift basket. Some people choose to go out and buy cellophane bags or take the item to a gift wrapping service. However, you can easily make your own cellophane bags for gift baskets or smaller items. By making your own homemade cellophane bags, you save money and add a personal touch to the gift item. You can make bags from clear cellophane or printed cellophane and then top with ribbon or other decorative items.
Homemade Cellophane Basket Bags
Video of the Day
Step 1
Choose the cellophane you want. Cellophane paper rolls are sold in clear or in prints and come in 20-, 30- or 40-inch widths.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Size your cellophane by placing the item you want to create a bag for in the middle of the cellophane on your work surface. Bring the front of the cellophane and the back of the cellophane up over the gift item and measure six to 12 inches above the tallest point of the item. Cut the cellophane from the roll at this height. Bring the top edges together so they are even and move the gift item so that the sides of the cellophane have the same measurement on each side of the item.
Step 3
Hold the two top edges together. Fold the center of one side to the middle of the gift item and fold the back side to the middle and the front side to the middle of the side of the gift item. Take your hand from the top of the cellophane and tape the side in place with as much scotch tape as necessary. Tape the other side of the cellophane in the same manner.
Step 4
Gather the top cellophane pieces in one hand. Pull a couple of sides to create an interesting cellophane effect. Tie a pipe cleaner, or tie twist just below your hand that is gathering the cellophane. Tie a bow onto the gift and remove the twist tie so you can use it on other homemade cellophane projects. Tape any loose cellophane areas on the bottom of the basket.
Rectangular Homemade Cellophane Bags
Step 1
Locate a book that is the approximate size of the cellophane bag you need. Cut the cellophane leaving about an inch on each side of the book. It should be just enough to wrap it as you would with wrapping paper.
Step 2
Bring each end of the cellophane to the middle of the book and tape in place. On the bottom, bring each side in and make a crease in the top and bottom sides and tape in place. This is done in the same way you wrap a box or book with wrapping paper.
Step 3
Slide the book out of the top of the gift wrapping, and the cellophane will retain the gift wrapped shape making the cellophane bag. Add the candy, cookies or other items you want to bag and fold the top of your cellophane bag over and crease each top side so the top will easily fold over. Tape the top in place.