Please allow me to introduce the ancient Japanese tradition, furoshiki. Imagine origami, but simpler and more useful. Furoshiki wraps can be used to easily and elegantly wrap holiday and birthday gifts, and offerings for party hosts. In fact, though furoshiki developed in ancient Japan as a way to bundle clothes at the public baths, it is more recently used as a way to protect and decorate gifts.
Before you start your furoshiki, you first need to determine what size fabric you will need to wrap your gifts. I used three different sizes to wrap the above items: small – 15.5″ square, medium – 22″ square, and large 26.5″ square. This tutorial has some great tips on determining the size of fabric you need for the items you intend to wrap. You can also choose to finish the edges of your fabric, or leave them raw.
For more ways to wrap your holiday gifts using the art of furoshiki, check out this video.
Helpful Links
- Circle Gift Tags • I chose the new holiday style, “Merry & Bright” in Green.
- Furoshiki Video • For more ways to wrap your gifts using Furoshiki.
- Wine Bottle Furoshiki Video • For wrapping a single wine bottle.
More handmade holiday gift ideas…
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Rachel Beyer is an artist, designer and creative maker based in Portland, OR. She loves crafting, party planning and illustration. Rachel runs her own creative blog, Adventures In Making and also has a line of greeting cards, art prints and handmade goodies called Camp Smartypants.
Thanks for doing a post about Furoshiki!
This is a really good idea but I must say that I haven’t seen that many attractive scarves in Charity shops……but maybe I haven’t been looking with a discerning eye…..can’t wait to get out and try this !