As a child I begged my mother to let me wrap every gift under the tree—even my own when she would pre-wrap it and hand it to me to rewrap. That early love of wrapping has persisted: I still enjoy making presents look special each holiday season. This year I swapped paper and tape for a sewing machine and sheets of felt to create a fresh, reusable approach to gift wrap.
This sewn color-blocked felt pouch is perfect for small gifts all year round. Layer two stiff felt squares, add a contrasting color-blocked piece, sew around the edges leaving one side open, and you have a peek-proof pouch ready to hold jewelry, small toys, handmade lip balm, and other petite surprises. The result is simple, modern and durable—an attractive alternative to disposable paper wrapping.
These pouches are quick to make and customizable: use squares, triangles or diamonds for the accent shapes and coordinate colors to suit the recipient or season. Below is a straightforward materials list and step-by-step instructions to get you started.
Materials
- Stiff 6×6-inch felt sheets in several colors
- Thread for a sewing machine
Instructions
Start with two matching base pieces—one for the front and one for the back of each pouch. Cut an accent piece in a contrasting color to create the color-blocked detail. You can vary shapes and sizes: triangles, diamonds, or smaller squares all work well.
1. Choose the colors you want and cut the felt pieces to match your design. For the example shown, a smaller triangle accent was cut and layered onto the front base piece.
2. Place the accent piece on top of the front base and straight-stitch them together. Backstitch at the ends to secure the seams. If you want a small pocket for a note or tag, leave part of the accent unstitched to create an opening.
3. Align the back base piece with the stitched front and sew three sides together with a straight stitch, backstitching at the beginning and the end of each seam. Leave one side open so you can insert the gift.
4. Wrap the gift in tissue or soft paper, slip it into the pouch, then sew the remaining side closed with a straight stitch, again reinforcing the seam with backstitching. Trim any loose threads to finish. To open the pouch, simply snip a small section of the seam with scissors and remove the gift.
These pouches also work well as tree ornaments or part of a scavenger-hunt-style gift reveal—tuck small surprises among the branches for a playful twist on holiday giving. They’re sturdy, reusable, and reduce waste compared with disposable wrapping paper.
If you need ideas for what to place inside: homemade lip balm, a small piece of jewelry, pins, novelty charms, or any compact handmade gift pair nicely with these pouches.
Photography Amelia Tatnall Lawrence
Sewing Elizabeth Scoper
Styling Brittni Mehlhoff
Would you try these felt pouches for your gifts this year? They’re easy to make, customizable, and provide a charming, reusable alternative to traditional wrapping paper.
If you have leftover felt, consider using the scraps for small craft projects such as felt flowers, which can be made in several quick styles to embellish gifts or decorate holiday crafts.