Do you want to build a paper bag different from the normal brown bag? You can do this with old magazines, newspapers or cardboard. You can create a sturdy bag, or a decorative one for a gift, as a work of art or as a fun DIY project.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Decorate Your Paper Bag
Step 1. Choose and collect the materials you need
Depending on the type of paper bag you want to make, consider its appearance, strength, and whether there are handles.
- To build your bag, you will need scissors, glue, ruler and a pencil.
- Card stock, colored or patterned, is ideal for this project. Its thicker consistency helps create sturdy bags, capable of supporting more weight. You can find cardboard of all colors and with many designs.
- Wrapping paper or newspaper sheets are suitable materials for more delicate projects.
- A thin piece of string or ribbon can act as a handle.
- To decorate the bag, get materials such as stencils, feathers, glitter, paint, pens or colored crayons.
Step 2. Cut a piece of paper into a 24x38cm rectangle
Use a ruler to measure the size and a light pencil to trace the desired shape. Alternatively, you can cut out a rectangle to the size of your choice.
Save time by using the natural edges of the paper. If the piece of paper you have chosen is the right size, cut the bag from the corner of the paper and not from the center
Step 3. Decorate your bag
In some cases, it will be much easier to do this before you assemble it. If you want to create a design or if you plan to color the bag, it will be easier to do it on a flat sheet of paper, to make sure you don't make any mistakes.
Decorate only one side of the card. You can decorate both if you want to create a fun design inside the bag or if you want to cover a low quality material, especially if you are using newspaper
Part 2 of 2: Assemble Your Paper Bag
Step 1. Place the rectangle of paper in front of you on a flat surface
Make sure the longest side is the horizontal one.
If you've decorated the paper, make sure the designs aren't fresh yet and face down
Step 2. Fold the bottom edge of the paper up for 5 cm and go over the crease mark well
When you're done, open the sheet. This side will later become the bottom of the bag.
Step 3. Find the center points of the two horizontal sides
To do this you can measure them with a ruler, or fold the sheet in half. You need to score 3 points:
- Keeping the orientation with the long side horizontal, join the short sides together, as if folding the entire sheet in half; then, squeeze the highest and lowest points of the hypothetical crease to mark the center of both long sides. Make a light mark in those places.
- Make marks on the paper, 13mm to the left and right of each center point. When you are done, there should be 6 lines on the paper: 3 in the center of each long side of the paper.
Step 4. Fold the sides of the bag
Make sure you keep the paper oriented the same way as you follow these directions:
- Bring the right edge of the paper up to the leftmost line drawn, then make a crease. Open the sheet after going over the fold. Repeat on the opposite side.
- Flip the paper over, fold the short sides back towards the center and glue them where they overlap. Make sure you repeat the folds you made earlier (note, however, that they will be reversed). Let the glue dry completely before the next step.
Step 5. Turn the bag over so that the glue side is the bottom side
Make sure you orient the open side towards you.
Step 6. Fold the sides of the paper inward to create an "accordion" effect
You will make the sides of the bag so that it opens like a rectangle.
- With the ruler, measure 4 cm from the left side of the bag, inwards. With a pencil, make a light mark in that spot.
- Push the left fold of the bag in until it reaches the point where the paper curves over the mark you made earlier on the left.
- Press and fold the paper down to line up the pencil mark with the new edge you folded. Try to keep the bottom and top edges symmetrical as you press the paper.
- Repeat on the right side. When you're done, the body of the bag should be folded in on both sides, like a grocery bag.
Step 7. Prepare the bottom of the bag
To understand what the bottom is, look for the lines you created with the previous folds. For now, keep the bag flat and continue:
- Fold and glue the bottom of the bag. When you have established what the fund is, fix it:
- Fold the bag 10 cm up from the bottom and go over the line.
- Keeping the rest of the bag flat, open the bottom. The inward folds should open up, forming a square. Inside, you should see two triangles of folded paper, on both sides.
Step 8. Build the bottom of the bag
You'll be folding a few sides towards the center, taking advantage of the triangular figures to make sure the bottom is even.
- Fold the right and left sides of the square open bottom completely down. Use the outermost edge of the triangles as a guide. When you are done, the bottom of the bag should have 8 sides, like an elongated octagon, compared to the 4 that made it up previously.
- Fold the bottom strip of the "octagon" up towards the center of the bag.
- Fold the top strip of the "octagon" down towards the center of the bag. Now, the bottom should be tightly closed; glue the edges of the paper where they overlap and let them dry.
Step 9. Open the bag
Make sure the bottom is completely closed and that there are no gaps between the glued edges.
Step 10. Add the handles
You can make them with ribbon, string or twine, or you can leave the bag as it is.
- Keep the top of the bag closed and use a hole punch or pencil to punch two holes. Do not puncture the bag too close to the edge of the paper, or the weight inside could break the handles.
- Reinforce the holes by coating them with glue or clear tape.
- Slide the ends of the handle through the holes and tie a knot inside the bag. Make sure the knot is large enough not to go through the hole. You may need to drill more than one knot to increase its size and keep the handle in place.
Advice
- Line your work area with newspaper. In this way, cleaning operations will be much easier.
- For this project, you can also use colored graph paper.
- You can use the paper bag as a gift for a friend. Decorate it with glitter, paints and markers.
- If you want to make a shorter bag, fold the paper to the desired height and cut it with scissors.
- Use fabric to decorate your bag.
- Don't overdo the glue.
