DIY: Reusable Gift Wrap {and a handy camera cover too!}

When I was in Florida last year I picked up a cute little Japanese fabric square which I used for packing up my little homemade lunches in. I have really fond memories of using it (sitting in Disney with one of these on my lap full of sandwiches, raisons and american candy - possibly the cutest way to save money ever!) and I've been championing using a fabric carrier ever since I came back. 

This week I thought I would share a DIY that shows you how to make your own. You could use it as reusable gift wrap, a cute lunch bag or even as a handy lightweight cover to protect your camera in your handbag. Clever, huh!

To it, you'll need a 20" x 20" square of fabric. I've used a canvas style lightweight muslin material, but anything that's not too heavy is perfect.  

First and foremost, wash it & iron it. The fabric might shrink and it may have residue on it which might make the paint go weird, so it's definitely worth doing. 

Hem the edges all the way round to stop the ends from fraying. 

As you can see here, I was feeling particularly fancy and decided to give it a double row. That's totally not necessary, I just thought it would make it look more fun :D

Next up, get your paint ready! 

I've got a lovely little pot of gold fabric paint which is ready made, but I'm also mixing up my own colours for this tutorial. If you're fond of fabric painting but never seem to see the colours you want to use, I recommend investing a pot of fabric medium as you can make up whatever colours you want. Simply mix it 1:1 with any colours of acrylic paint and you're good to go. It's amazing!!

I'm really fond of the dalmatian print that's in fashion at the moment, so for me it's just some simple splodges of paint all over.... You might want to do some polka dots or crosses or maybe even a portrait of your cat. Anything goes! 

When you're done, let it dry and give it another good iron to seal the paint. Some fabric paints require re-washing so make sure to check the packet and follow the instructions. 

Then you're ready to Wrap N Roll!

This tutorial is amazing because you don't need to be an origami queen to wrap up your goodies. Simply put whatever you fancy in the middle and fold it diagonally (corner to corner) so they meet in the middle. Repeat with the other two corners and tie the 'top two' together.  and it will look like the cutest thing ever. 

See this camera? Lets make it beautiful....

*Ta*Da*

Two folds and two knots and it'll be protected from the rain and from my keys clattering around in my handbag :D It's a great little accessory that'll fit in your pocket and come in more handy than you think... plus you can make as many as you want in every colour under the sun to go with your outfit!

So, next time you're looking to buy some paper gift wrap, why not give this a try? It's eco friendly, super stylish and has more than 100 uses. Perfect :)

Happy Making!

xox