Creating Wonderful Spaces: burlap

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Burlap Gift Wrap!

Our mother taught us that you don't show up at someone's house without a gift. During the winter months, I like to give candles. I wrap them in tissue paper or tulle and add a ribbon. In the warmer months, I like to give a potted plant, preferably one in full bloom. Most people like to choose their own pots or they wind up planting them in the ground. For this reason, I came up with an easy, inexpensive way to wrap the plant.

I am all about easy and fast, and preferably no sewing or glueing! Even better is if you already have what you need! Start with burlap, cut into a circle. I used a pizza tray and traced it with a sharpie.

Fold up the edge (about an inch and a half) and pin it.

Do this all the way around until it looks like this.

Using your scissors, cut a small slit in the edge. Do this all the way around, about two inches apart.

Next, you will need a length of ribbon and a safety pin. Fold over the end of the ribbon and attach safety pin.

Remove the pins and weave the ribbon in and out of the slits.

The ribbon should be long enough to go around the circle with at least a few inches left.

Flip the burlap over so that the ribbon ends are underneath, and place the plant in the middle.

Pull the ends of the ribbons while stretching the burlap over the container. Tie a bow and then go back and space out your pleats until you are happy with the way it looks.

The shape of the container doesn't matter, but you do need to make sure the burlap is large enough to cover it.

Yes, the white ribbon is boring, but all I had was black, brown, red, or white. A trip to Jo-Ann's or Michael's to get a ribbon would have cost me at least $30! Of course, other fabric would work, but I wouldn't be happy with the raw edge, and this IS all about easy!