Unwind & Design Gift Bags

Here it is, our latest installment of Unwind & Design—your excuse to set aside time for being creative and getting together with friends.Whether you make projects for wedding gifts, baby showers, teacher favors, home decor, or any other reason, the Unwind & Design experience is really about giving a present to yourself. In every issue of this magazine, we’ll provide you with project ideas, instructions, shopping lists, and tips for hosting a project party.You also can go online to find monthly project ideas as well as Unwind & Design extras. Just in time for the holidays—launch your first Unwind & Design party with the gift-bag project shown here.You only need a few materials and good friends to join you. In a short, relaxing time, you and your guests will have personalized wrappings for wine bottles, baked goods, or any small gifts.And you’ll have so much fun that you will want to make Unwind & Design a monthly affair.





Step 1: Cut a 13- x 18-inch piece of drop cloth to fit around a wine or oil bottle. (Adjust the size depending on the item you’re wrapping.)

Step 2: Paint designs or the recipient’s initials on the cloth. (We used tape to box off squares for painting, and felt pads were used as stencils to create polka dots.) Allow paint to dry.

Step 3: Align the top of the bottle with the top edge of the cloth. Fold the bottom
portion of the cloth over the bottom of the bottle.Then fold one side of the cloth, and roll the bottle so that the cloth wraps around it.

Step 4: Cinch the neck of the bottle, and wrap wire around it.Twist the ends of the wire to secure.

Step 5: Curl the ends of the wire if desired.Add accents such as mirror rosettes found in the hardware department, twine, or fan pulls.

canvas drop cloth (#126317)**
copper wire (#62938)**
galvanized wire (#62934)**
twine (#66510)**
paint**
foam brushes**
felt pads (#53406)
masking tape**
mirror rosettes (#61003)
fan pulls (#180508; #75874)

* Approximately half of this cost is for supplies that can be kept in your hostess tool kit. Does not include applicable taxes, which vary by market.

**Add these items to your Unwind & Design hostess tool kit.