How-To: Wrap Odd-Shaped Gifts

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In keeping with my “keep it simple” approach to Penelope’s birthday, I decorated the kitchen very sparsely. I hung the banner I made the birthday banner for Penelope’s first birthday, added a white tablecloth to the table and wrapped her gifts in white butcher paper.

The thing about kids’ toys: they never come in a simple box. They’re always in an annoying blister pack or odd-shaped rectangle. That was certainly the case with the gifts we gave her this year. I was just in such a hurry to get her gifts wrapped before she wandered into my bedroom, somehow I channeled my inner short cook and came up with a really simple and fast way to wrap her awkward-shaped gifts.

I’m not sure about you, but I figured I’d share this technique in case it would come in handy for any of you. I think the gifts turned out quite nicely, considering their shape and the simple paper used. Click the link below for the whole tutorial (and video!).

ODD-SHAPED WRAPPING TUTORIAL

This technique is pretty straight forward. You want to have your gift, wrapping paper, scissors and tape. I used decorative packing tape for mine. Washi tape would be fun, too.

  1. Cut your paper to size. Lay out your gift and cut it short on the horizontal, about 3-5 inches on either side. Make sure the side flaps come up and over your gift, covering about one fourth on either side.
  2. Fold in the sides. Crease the sides inward, so the folds don’t overlap the edges as you wrap the gift.
  3. Fold the top edge.
  4. Fold the bottom edge.
  5. Wrap around to the front of the package and secure with tape.
  6. Address the taped edge, or turn over for a cleaner look.

Watch the video below to see how I do it in real time.

This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without the express consent of Melissa Esplin. I love getting shout outs from around the web, but please, link with love. Do not copy this post, publish more than 2 photos or outright steal this idea for commercial publications. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!


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  1. phil says:

    very useful … i m not even able to fold a sheet of paper into two !!!!

  2. kacey says:

    LOVE this! I’m the present wrapper in our family and while I try to differentiate my wrapping techniques, the paper is always folded the same way. Thanks for sharing a new, more interesting technique!

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