As Christmas approaches, I am sure there will be lots of hustle and bustle going on indoors, wrapping gifts and writing cards to those people we have been unable to see this year.
As gifts usually have a ‘gift-tag’ here is a little something that might help to make your wrapped gifts stand out even more.
(Whatever size you wish to make, to double that size is the starting point for your choice of hexagon template. As an example, a 6 inch template will produce a 3 inch tag). I had a 5.5″ template available, so used that, but you can use whatever size you wish.
The first tag is all hand sewn, the second tag uses a sewing machine to run a quarter inch seam to join the two pieces together, but this can easily be sewn by hand, if you prefer.
Requirements:
(Based on using a 6 inch template – adjust to suit your own size chosen).
3 x 6″ squares of fabric (The striped one, uses 1 piece of fabric, the cream one uses 2 pieces of fabric)
1 x 6″ square of Heat n Bond (if making the first one)
Matching thread for hand sewing
Hand sewing needles
Sewing machine if you are using this on the second tag
2 Sparkly Buttons, beads or charms
2 x 8″ Lengths of wool or Floss for the loop
6″ Hexagon Template (or whatever size you have decided to use)
Paper Scissors
Fabric Scissors
A ‘point’ turner (for pushing your sewn corners out)
Iron (a small iron is preferable)
Ironing pad/board
Frixion, water soluble pen or pencil
Instructions
I have used two different methods for you to choose which you prefer.
The first one (stripey fabric image) uses Heat n Bond and only requires one piece of fabric.
The second one (cream patterned image), uses two pieces of fabric as there are no raw edges, is not folded as much towards the end, which gives a more open appearance.
If you are making the first tab (shown as a stripey one here), iron your Heat N Bond onto the back of the fabric with the paper showing on the top, and draw your hexagon shape onto the paper. If you are making the second tag with two fabrics, draw around your hexagon on the wrong sides using your marker pen.
Cut out your hexagons from the fabric.
Peel off the paper from the Heat N Bond and draw markers at the centre point of each of the six sides. You can find the centre by pressing each side piece in half and creasing it with your finger, then marking where the crease is on the wrong side.
You will also need to make a mark at the centre of the hexagon on the wrong side. I did this by folding it into a quarter and creasing it to see where this mark is.
For the second tag, you would place both pieces of fabric, right sides together.
Mark an opening, as you will need this to turn it to the right side when sewn. Stitch a quarter of an inch seam all the way around, leaving this opening open.
When sewn, cut the corners off to avoid bulk, and if you wish cut the seams down to 1/8th of an inch, again to avoid bulk. Turn the hexagon to the right side. Use a point turner to push the corners out so that they are crisp, and fold the open section seams in and finger press down.
Iron the hexagon to make the sewn edge nice and flat, and hand sew the opening closed.
Mark the centres of the edges and the middle of the hexagon as before. Here is a photograph of both hexagons showing these marks.
These first few instructions are the same for both tags.
Take your threaded needle through the centre point of the wrong side and back again, and catch a marker on one of the sides, so that you are catching it about 1/8ths of an inch in and pull the thread so that the side folds down towards the centre point.
Hold it there, and stitch through the middle and back up through the side piece to secure it down, and as you pull the thread through, take the needle through the loop to secure it as a knot. (The images below show the same process for both tags).
Continue doing the same for all 6 sides. The next step is to iron all the flat parts to help to smooth things down. With the first one, this will fuse the pieces together, so be careful not to press any more than you have to. The instructions after this, are different for each tag.
For the first tag, due to the raw edges, you have to do a little more ‘origami’ than the other one. Here are some images to help. You will be:
Pressing the open side down to form a kite shape, bending the point at the centre back towards the outside edge. Then you will press the seams together to make it flat, and then take the point from the outside back to the centre. It gives a lovely raised effect.
When the point is back to the centre, you will put a tack stitch in as before, and take the needle through the loop to hold it down, and repeat for the other 5 points.
For the second tag, as it has no raw edges, you don’t have to do as much ‘origami.’ Here are some images to help. You will be:
Pressing the open side down to form a kite shape, bending the point at the centre back towards the outside edge.
At this new point on the outer edge, you will put a tack stitch in and secure your thread before cutting and repeat for the other 5 points.
Now it’s time to add your sparkly button, charm or beads.
The last thing to do is add a loop to your desired length, I used three strands of floss at 8 inches in length for each tag.
