A gift bag with a folded base
Make a folded-base bag for a lightweight gift, testing the shape before adding decoration.
Begin with a paper tube
For a first small bag, use a rectangle about 30 centimeters wide and 24 centimeters high, roughly 12 by 9½ inches. Bring the short sides together with an overlap of about 2 centimeters, or ¾ inch. Glue that overlap to form a broad tube and let it dry. The seam will sit at the back of the finished bag.
Flatten the tube without adding side pleats yet. Fold the bottom edge upward by about 5 centimeters, or 2 inches. This folded area becomes the base, so the usable bag will be shorter than the original sheet. Test with scrap paper if the gift's height leaves little spare room.
Open out the bottom fold
Gently open the folded lower section. Push its left and right corners inward to form a flattened diamond-like shape with a horizontal center line. Keep the side triangles even. Fold the upper point down across the middle, then bring the lower point up so the two flaps overlap.
Apply adhesive only where those paper surfaces should join. Do not spread it into the bag's interior and accidentally stick the front to the back. Let the base dry under light pressure. Open the bag with your hand and gently flatten its floor from inside. If a corner looks twisted, reshape the existing folds before creating extra creases beside them.
Match the bag to a light load
Put a lightweight test object inside and support the bag underneath. A loose cardstock rectangle can help spread the load across the base, but it does not turn thin paper into a strong shopping bag. This gift version deliberately avoids glued-on carrying handles. Fold the top over twice and close it with a clip instead.
For your next bag, stamp or write on the front before assembly, once you know where that panel will be. Very smooth wrapping papers need an adhesive suited to their surface and a separate bonding test. Choose a different container for heavy, sharp or damp contents. A successful paper bag can be flattened along its existing folds, stored, and opened again without cutting a fresh sheet each time.
