The Japanese art of Furoshiki, or fabric wrapping, is one of our favorite DIY projects to revisit during the holidays. Over at Etsy, designer/illustrator Jenn Playford has written a step-by-step guide, complete with diagrams, teaching the "tie box" and "over the shoulder" wrapping techniques.
The tie box technique works well for small, square gifts, while the over-the-shoulder wrap is better suited to irregularly shaped presents. You can buy fabric wraps specifically designed for Furoshiki, or you can use dish towels, scarves, or fabric remnants.
For the step-by-step, click here.
SHOWN ABOVE
• 1 Furoshiki from Furochic, $10
• 2 Furoshiki from Furochic, $10
• 3 Furoshiki from jodii, $19
• 4 Furoshiki from Radica, $15
• 5 Furoshiki from mayopan, $20
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• How To: Be a Furoshiki Expert
• 5 Ways to Wrap Gifts Without Holiday Paper
• Reducing Holiday Waste
• Wrap Your Gifts in a Dish Towel, Furoshiki-Style
Photos 1 and 2: David Hughes / Hotfoot Studio
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I tried doing this with some plaid flannel, thinking it would look festive. It looked awful. (I swear I'm crafty!) I think the fabric needs to be thin to look nice when tied. I bought some wrapping paper the next day and my gifts suddenly looked like I had spent twice as much on them. I know, it's the thought that counts, but my thoughts looked like trashy rags.
I'm planning to do this with Envirosax, but now after home body's comment, I can picture myself panicking at the last minute. I'd better try it now.
yes, using thin fabric is essential.
Silk shantung works great, lots of body, but thin enough. Spendy, but if you re-use it over and over, it's cheap in the end. You can get it for not so much in the garment district (NYC).
My husband brought back yards of fabric from Kenya that I plan to cut and hem for this purpose. I think it's the perfect weight to work beautifully.
Yes the type of fabric can really impact your gift wrapping, especially at the holidays. A fairly new eco-friendly site yooNmewrap.com, seems to have figured it out. They carry an assortment of fabrics, specially designed for gift wrapping. They are modern, stylish, and quite affordable compared to others. I visited this Fall at a convention, really liked their product.