Every Tuesday from now until Earth Day will feature a clever project for creative reuse, designed to help you craft a thoughtful life. To kick off this series, Kat Roberts will lead us through the process of turning junk mail envelopes and fabric scraps into handy dandy pouches. Use them as dressed up mailing envelopes, storage for your collage clippings, a sunglasses case — it’s up to you! Kat is an avid crafter, blogger, artist and designer. She also teaches courses on footwear and accessories design in New York City. Find more projects on her blog, We Can Re-Do It, and check out her wares in her Etsy shop, called Whitehaus.
I have a philosophy of avoiding mass-produced items whenever possible and learning to make the most of what I have, and I try to incorporate that mindset into all of my work. In general, I feel pretty excellent about my resourcefulness when it comes to upcycling, but there are a few items that make me wonder if maybe I’m treading a little too close to hoarder territory: primarily, the envelopes that come enclosed with junk mail. As I rip up all those credit card offers, I can’t help but feel guilty about the perfectly good envelope that’s being wasted, too.
For years now, I’ve been rubber banding their ilk together and throwing them in a drawer. I so love this project because it finally gave me something to do with all those scraps! Plus, I get to use some of my massive hoard of remnant fabric.
What You’ll Need:
Envelopes
Remnant fabric
Steamer (or kettle)
Scissors
Spray adhesive, or wheat paste*
Glue gun
* Update: Please note that wheat paste maybe substituted for the adhesive spray used in steps 4 and 5. It’s a more eco-friendly alternative that’s not only bio-degradable, but will make this craft more kid-friendly, as well. While that supply wasn’t originally listed here, we’ve updated the post to make it more eco-friendly as a reflection of insightful comments and discussion. We appreciate your passion!
Directions:
1. Steam open the flaps of the envelope. The easiest way to do this is with a clothes steamer.
If you don’t have a steamer, you can get the same results with a kettle. It’ll just a take a little bit longer. Be extra careful if you use this method not to burn your hand or let the envelope get too close to the burner!
2. As the steam begins to lift the edges of the flap, pull it upward. You may have to pull a little bit at a time as you continue to steam.
When you’re finished with this step, the envelope may look a little wrinkly, like this. That’s normal, especially if your envelope has a plastic window. Most wrinkles will come out when you spray it with the adhesive, but if it’s excessively wrinkled, you can lay something heavy on it for a bit.
3. Lay the fabric out flat and place the opened envelope over it. Cut all around, leaving at least an extra 1/2″ on all sides.
4. The next step is to spray both the envelope and the fabric with adhesive spray. Before you do this, you’ll need to lay out some paper to protect your work surface. Also, it’s important that you only use the spray in an extremely well ventilated area, preferably outside. Alternatively, use wheat paste.
5. Lay the envelope right side up and the fabric right side down. Spray both pieces thoroughly and evenly. (Spraying both pieces will make the adhesion permanent.)
6. Gently lay the fabric over the envelope so that the sides with the adhesive are touching. Flatten out any wrinkles or air bubbles until the surface is totally smooth.
7. Trim the excess fabric away from the envelope with a pair of scissors.
8. Lay the envelope face down and bend in the two smaller flaps.
9. Run some hot glue down the two flaps you just folded.
10. Fold the large flap up to cover the two small ones. Rub your finger over the two glued areas to make sure they properly adhere.
11. As an optional extra step, you can trace the dimensions of the envelope onto a sheet of paper. Reduce the size by an 1/8″ on each side and cut. This will give you a perfectly sized template, especially nice if you’d like to make handmade note cards to fill the envelopes with.
If you make your own fabric covered envelopes, share a photo with us in the Etsy Labs Flickr group. What will you put in your fabric covered envelope? Let us know in the comments below!
164 comments
Tilly O'Neill from nearerthemoon said 8 years ago
super cool DIY, I'm defiitely going to be trying this with all the scraps I just got given from a friend :D
Kelly from KikuPaper said 8 years ago
Reusing things and finding creative uses for them was one of my grandmother's favourite things. The heavy silver foil found inside vac-packed coffee would be come folded fans with red ribbon woven throw the folds. She decorated her bannister with the fans and garland at Christmas.
Megan from MegansMenagerie said 8 years ago
Such a great idea! Thanks!!!
Ashley from ClassyCasings said 8 years ago
I love this idea!!! Very cute!!
Jess from volkerwandering said 8 years ago
What a fantastic idea! I love it, unique, pretty, and functional!
Emma Kav from EmmaKav said 8 years ago
The more sharing of ideas like this, the better.
KettleConfections from KettleConfections said 8 years ago
These cloth envelopes are too cute! I've never tried sprayed adhesives, but now I can see how useful they can be.
Linda from HauteMarche said 8 years ago
Get idea to use all of my beautiful fabric scraps I can's bear ro throw out.
Julie Meyer from JulieMeyer said 8 years ago
This would be a fun older kid project with all my scraps!
Nicki Lee from RavioleeDreams said 8 years ago
Fabulous idea - with tons of fabric scraps this will be a fun project for when my neices come over for our monthly "craft days" Thank you for sharing!
Samantha Hughes from OhMyLuckyStar said 8 years ago
This is such a cute idea!! I will probably end up making an envelope template rather than keep using the paper envelopes, since I don't get very much junk mail (lucky me!) :) Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Beaudet from JBeaudetStudios said 8 years ago
Very cute idea! I think kids would love doing this!
Stephanie from Phylogeny said 8 years ago
What a great idea! Upcycling and recycling together in one project.
CyanideStitches from CyanideStitches said 8 years ago
I was just making vinyl envelopes yesterday! Soo cute!
ravenramandmoon from ravenramandmoon said 8 years ago
Yes, I too agree it will be a great project for the kids to do, so easy. I love it!
Kirsti Joy from KaiceJoy said 8 years ago
What an AMAZING idea!! I just love it-thanks for sharing!!!!
Tressie from funkomavintage said 8 years ago
cute ! instead of a spray aerosol adhesive (stinky) I use a good ol' non-toxic craft glue like Aleen's...that way children can do this too.
goodbeads from goodbeads said 8 years ago
Very interesting,great...
misseffie from misseffie said 8 years ago
Yay! A beautiful way to recycle! I will definitely try this.
Valerie from chichigemmes said 8 years ago
I've lots of fabric scraps...will have to give this a go!
Lisa Marie Renee Jane from BonnetsBagsTreasures said 8 years ago
Love the idea - great idea about using for note card storage. Thank you Lisa Marie
Kathryn Davis from KKCollectibleCollage said 8 years ago
I love this idea, you still have the original adhesive to seal the envelope if you want to. Thanks for sharing.
Sew Gracious from SewGracious said 8 years ago
Great idea! I sell scrap bundles in my secondary Etsy shop that would be perfect for this!
Peshka from Peshka said 8 years ago
Fantastic Idea!!!
IKA PARIS from ikabags said 8 years ago
When i was a child at shool we done a lot with lovely fabrics. Great weekend activity with children too. Thanks
Vid from VidGirlsandDolls said 8 years ago
Thanks for sharing! Nice way to make use of my scrap fabrics.
Susan Norwood from GreenleeAndVine said 8 years ago
What a great project! I save those envelopes too, mostly because of the cool patterns on the inside. These would be great for storage of receipts or my small scraps saved for collage. Thanks for sharing this!!!
P Dean from SomeKindahWonderful said 8 years ago
Great novel DIY and I have plenty of everything needed. You could also use scrapbooking paper scraps (patchwork look) or a new sheet for a different application. Thank you for the great idea!
iammieCLAYshop from iammieCLAYshop said 8 years ago
Cool idea! Thanks for sharing!
H Wang from sandboxcastle said 8 years ago
This sounds fun :) Maybe it could maybe even be sewn with thicker fabric using the envelope as a pattern and used as a wallet/clutch (if you added some dividers inside it would be even better. Really fun idea!
Tati Viana Maia from tatiartsy said 8 years ago
Hey! This is cool! Thanks for sharing, Etsy! :D
Liudmila Rosario Ponko from PonkoWorld said 8 years ago
So cool!!
Kellie Estep from mylittlebigcheeks said 8 years ago
so cool! my grandma actually gets wallpaper books from places that dont need them any more or discontinued and makes envelopes out of wallpaper scraps :)
Kat and Michel from whitehaus said 8 years ago
I love the wallpaper idea, Kellie! I'm obsessed with the stuff lately.
PatternsAndPlans from PatternsAndPlans said 8 years ago
Nice idea. Thanks!
Heather Butler from MikiandHeather said 8 years ago
Super tutorial! I use old white sofa covers for mine and used fabric paint and embroidery to make them look like air mail!
Ever So Lovely from EverSoLovely said 8 years ago
That is pretty awesome!
JPaveyDesigns from JPaveyDesigns said 8 years ago
Wow, I feel bad I recycled all those envelopes. This is a much nicer way to use them. Thanks for sharing your idea.
UnderMilkWood from UnderMilkWood said 8 years ago
These are so lovely, so nice to receive a home made card in, or for a gift, I am definitely going to have a go at this one. Thanks
Jenifer Liput from OceanBeachGlass said 8 years ago
I knew all those bills had some good use.
Julie from NakedRatDestash said 8 years ago
much more fun than recycling!
Stasie Maxwell from HausOfRaven said 8 years ago
awesome idea! Thanks for the DIY instructions. Those would be lovely envelopes to receive in the mail!
Catherine from JanJat said 8 years ago
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing :)
Kelly from PalomaAccessories said 8 years ago
Buena Idea!
Ashley from AntiquesAsh said 8 years ago
Great idea! I used the gift wrapping tips you gave us a while back!
Dotty Walker from SewThoughtfulBlanket said 8 years ago
I have to try this. Looks awesome!
Jana from SimplySewtastic said 8 years ago
This looks like so much fun. Adding it to my list of projects.
Sue Bellinger from bellingerbags said 8 years ago
It's such a pretty result, but is it really in the spirit of Earth Day to buy a non-recyclable aerosol can of potentially toxic adhesive to save recyclable paper envelopes? Okay, okay, call me a cynic...
Enid from prendasbyenid said 8 years ago
cool! love it!!
Sylvie Liv from SylvieLiv said 8 years ago
Neat. Thanks for the tute!
Kevie from LittleFridayDesigns said 8 years ago
This is such a cute idea!!
Summer Lee from SnuggleBugZZZ said 8 years ago
This is a great idea! My daughter will love doing this as a mother / daughter project :)
Merel from JohannesFranciscus said 8 years ago
Wow, really good idea! I have way too many fabric scraps that I cannot throw away. Thanks!
AJ Marsden from OnlyOriginalsByAJ said 8 years ago
So cool! I'm totally going to try this!
Rie Takeda from NeoJaponismAtelier said 8 years ago
Great idea!! Thanks! Wanna try!
Elizabeth from TailsandSnouts said 8 years ago
That's such a neat idea!
Raquel Torres from torrana said 8 years ago
I hate throwing away srcaps, I feel so wasteful...now I can make great envelopes for cash gifts or gift cards...THANKS :)
mazedasastoat from mazedasastoat said 8 years ago
I'm so glad I'm not the only one obsessively hoarding envelopes... it's nice to see them being used for something at last!
Nicole Risinger from SoSewOrganized said 8 years ago
I did this same thing, only I covered the envelopes with scrapbook paper! I made pretty envelopes for holding my coupons when I go in a store. Isn't up-cycling great?
Trina Bobrowski from RetroFashionForLess said 8 years ago
Wow, I never thought of that, people are so creative and resourceful. One can always find cheap fabric at thrift stores, or maybe wall paper!
Aura Rose from AuraRosesTreasures said 8 years ago
Wow! I have lots of old envelopes and scrap fabric. What I don't have is time! A word of caution: these may not be a good idea to send through the mail. The mail machines would probably catch and shred them and you have to pay extra for hand stamping. Save for gifts you "hand" deliver!
Justine from myopal said 8 years ago
Love the idea, I think I will get my daughter involved too. Great school holiday fun :)
heartdosheart from heartdosheart said 8 years ago
thanks so much for giving me something to do with all those envelopes i've been hoarding. :)
Sandi Pike Foundas from LoveFromCapeCod said 8 years ago
Great project. Fun idea. Your DIY photos are great too. I have some adhesive backed fabric scraps that this will work with too... not for mailing... but will overlap the small scraps to give it more of a freestyle patchwork quilt look :) Thank you for this clever idea!
VaLon Frandsen from thevicagirl said 8 years ago
Interesting, not sure how I feel about this idea. It would be cooler if you stiffened the fabric and didn't have to use the other envelops as well. You aren't saving much by using the other envelops as well.
Erica from BurkeHareCo said 8 years ago
Really really cute idea!
Sarah from perebags said 8 years ago
cute!
ruddlecottage from ruddlecottage said 8 years ago
This is the way I use old calendars, I love recycling....
Berenice Flores from TrendyLuv said 8 years ago
Awesome idea!! Love it :)
Isaac Acosta said 8 years ago
Awesome, I'd loce to share this with the kids at after school, thats a great idea!
crosnic said 8 years ago
Cute envelopes, but why is Etsy invoking Earth Day and calling this project "eco-friendly?" An aerosol can containing toxic chemicals with exposure limits? Plastic hot melt adhesive? Several electric appliances required? Letting an envelope degrade naturally would be preferable to all this - if we're really concerned about the environment. I agree with VaLon about using a water based fabric stiffener instead. Etsy, if you're going to honor Earth Day, please promote ways that crafters can preserve the environment (and their health) while expressing themselves creatively.
Emily Talling from LumiStyle said 8 years ago
What a great idea this is - must try !
erika from lancerika said 8 years ago
these envelopes could definately be crafted in a more *eco friendly*way... crosnic has a point :) inhaling the toxic glue fumes probably will make us sick :(
Emily Lim from shuqi said 8 years ago
Wow. I should try, looks like so fun:)
Aboli from FolkStroke said 8 years ago
In India, it is a traditional way to gift cash and small items in beautiful and colorful handmade fabric envelopes. Cotton fabric is hand glued or just handsewn on cardstock and the envelope is then embellished with lucky coin, golden threads, trims etc... I send my appliques in similar handmade fabric envelopes and my buyers also like it. This is a simple envelope made of cotton fabric and cardstock. http://folkstroke.blogspot.in/2012/03/fabric-envelopes.html Thanks :)
Tery from teryyo said 8 years ago
Just lovin' it! I'm also looking for creative ways to use scrap screen print paper. The ideas are now rolling in...
Marie Allen from misspoppys1 said 8 years ago
What a great idea - I get all sorts of junk mail everyday, I feel so bad about having to put all the envelopes in the rubbish bin - I may give this a go!
Tisha from quiltytherapy said 8 years ago
Great idea. May be a great way to use up some scraps I have.
Bonnie from needlenerd said 8 years ago
oh fun! thanks for sharing!
BanglewoodSupplies from BanglewoodSupplies said 8 years ago
That is the coolest thing I have ever seen!
Anna Trimmel from annatrimmeldesigns said 8 years ago
Omg! I love this idea!! I have soo many envelopes and fabric scraps!!! Your proyect is really adorable!! :)
Sarah from CopperheadCreations said 8 years ago
What a pretty, personal touch, and a great way to recycle.
Laura Prill from lauraprill said 8 years ago
very fun!
Kathleen from myvintagecrush said 8 years ago
What a fun diy! Now I must try!
NicoleNicoletta from NicoleNicoletta said 8 years ago
these are cool! i've gotta try it
Victoria Baker from LittleWrenPottery said 8 years ago
Very cute, these would be perfect for small gifts!
Laura from laurascrochetedgifts said 8 years ago
way cute! i have a ton of fabric scraps. now i just need to start saving the envelopes. thanks!
Lyn from LynJewels said 8 years ago
very beautiful and a brilliant idea!!
Kat and Michel from whitehaus said 8 years ago
Just wanted to chime in about those wanting to try this project, minus the spray adhesive. Totally understandable. Wheat paste would be an excellent alternative. It's bio-degradable and would make this craft more kid-friendly, as well. I'm a big fan of this project and so appreciate everyone's feedback! Thanks:)
accentonvintage from accentonvintage said 8 years ago
Great project!
SanDesigns from SanDesigns said 8 years ago
I make my envelopes out of magazine pages. You don't need aerosol adhesives, just a little Avery glue stick and you can make a DOZEN gorgeous envelopes in the time it would take to make one envelope out of fabric. (There are so many fun things for which to use up your fabric scraps).
Brittany Hodgson from BeatriceCLaNore said 8 years ago
What a clever idea! I love it!
MLKandtoast from CleanCutCollective said 8 years ago
I gotta say, I find this project just a tad non-eco friendly. First off, you can get your name off of junk mail lists pretty easily with websites like this: www.catalogchoice.org/ which would be much more eco friendly. Also, using aerosol & creating something that is even less recyclable than the original doesn't seem too great. I love the idea of making envelopes from magazines (SanDesigns) and using a wheat paste instead of aerosol. (whitehaus) I think etsy could have done a better job presenting an eco-friendly, earth day project and I hope that next tuesday will be something wonderful, beautiful and truly friendly to the Earth.
Amy Nicole from mybuttercups said 8 years ago
LOVE LOVE LOVE these! I totally had an idea like this but never thought to re-use an actual envelope for backing! How great!
Daisey from imperfectbydaisey said 8 years ago
Oh i love it, I am going start collecting my old mail envelopes instead of tossing them.
Paola from atelierpompadour said 8 years ago
really nice idea!!
Mara from rosenu2 said 8 years ago
Lots of creative ideas to look forward to .... Great way to recycle those envelopes that you toss anyway .... You know the ones that come inside envelopes .... I'm going to makes some money holders gift envelopes .... Or how about coupon holders that match those Cloth Grocery bags .... Top Stitch the sides down instead of glue .... Fun ... Fun ... Fun ahead.... Thanks for Sharing
yaidayaida said 8 years ago
ohh ~ ohh ... that's really wonderful idea!! I luv it ~~~ I am going to do it soon. Thank you for DIY idea !! And, thank you for sharing too :)
Jessica from LovelyFever said 8 years ago
What a great DIY upcycling idea! I am looking forward to trying this sometime. :) Thank you for sharing!
LC Cooper from LeMaisonBelle said 8 years ago
What a clever idea...off to hunt for fabric scraps...!
crosnic said 8 years ago
A number of us have complained about the non-eco-friendliness of this project that could easily be made more eco-friendly, and it would be very simple for Etsy to modify the directions to step 4 to let folks know about alternate adhesives that could be used -- that don't require purchasing a non-recyclable aerosol can filled with a toxic spray, or adding plastics in the form of hot melt glue. I've written and asked them to add an alternate adhesive to the directions, but Etsy has not done so. This seems to be a very popular project which will result in lots of chemicals being unnecessarily sprayed into the air - in honor of Earth Day! I hope Etsy shows us that they're serious about respecting our environment, and will either add a line to the directions or take the Earth Day intro off of the intro. It's a cute project, but far from eco-friendly. Think global. Act local.
twentytwotwenty from twentytwotwenty said 8 years ago
Cool idea! Thanks!
Lisa from CassiopiasCreations said 8 years ago
Very resourceful! I bet these would come in handy for coupon shopping as well or as a gift card envelope for teachers or birthday parties. You could taylor it to the persons theme or their personality! Love the idea!
Lisa from CassiopiasCreations said 8 years ago
Just missed the post a few ahead of mine...would fabric glue or tacky glue work??
Amelia Arvesen from aearv said 8 years ago
These are so cute! I'm just imagining recieving one of these in the mail. How cool would that be?! Very resourceful.
Lilli Lawson from lillipadstudio said 8 years ago
Well just how cleaver are you?! This is freakin awesome! I would LOVE to receive anything in one of these cuties! Thanks for the ideas, my mind is just a reeling!!
Katherine Elsken from katstar01 said 8 years ago
This is so genius! I have like a thousand envelopes at home and scrap fabric! This made my day
Eleanor Prieto from beescreations2 said 8 years ago
Thats a great ideas i am going to look thru my old fabric and other things around the house and see what I can come up with. Thanks
Giuliana Primavera from ThinkSpring said 8 years ago
What GREEN idea! This week end I will try make one to send to my friend. Thank you for sharing!
Terry and Larry Evans from Tigerseyecrafts said 8 years ago
I have to say I was ready to quit reading when I saw the adhesive spray, due to allergies. Such a cute idea; glad I kept reading. Terry
Emily Wright from cuttlefishlove said 8 years ago
This is a great idea! I have bags and bags of scrap fabric that I want to do things with. This would be a lovely idea for birthday presents too.
Elizabeth Seidel from esdesigns65 said 8 years ago
Great idea! I'm wondering how I can incorporate it into my shop--possibly send my jewelry items in them!
Julie Pedersen from purposedesign said 8 years ago
very good idea!
Melissa Kojima from ArtistInLALALand said 8 years ago
OMG! I love this idea. It also seems like they could last for a long time with repeated use! How fun. Could make great party favor bags.
Judith Rohlik from JudithAnnDesigns said 8 years ago
You could use the envelope from a small note card as the template and these would be great for Gift Cards!
Kristen May from KMayCreations said 8 years ago
I love this! I have TONS of scraps of pretty cloth that I am always looking to use in a new way. Thanks for the great how-to!
candida pagan from CandidaEtc said 8 years ago
I would LOVE to get something like this in the mail, and would hope that it would equally impress any pen-pal. I know that wallpaper envelopes can be sent, along with recycled cardboard (cereal boxes for example) that has been sewn into an envelope, hopefully fabric can be too. how fun!
AMSkrafts from AMSkrafts said 8 years ago
Adorable idea! M loves working with scraps of material to make recycled clothes for fun; these envelopes would make a great challenge for her.
Lillis Handford said 8 years ago
Wonderful way to use my scraps! Thank you for being green:)
Jana from bhangtiez said 8 years ago
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Porter from JennyBeanCandles said 8 years ago
i love it thanks
Miss Scarlett Scarlett from GraceAndFlowers said 8 years ago
Brilliant idea, will definitely give this a go!
Ada Ada from idajewelry66 said 8 years ago
This is such a cute idea!! Thank you for being green:)
Claire from VIPCreations said 8 years ago
Love this idea! I'm going to try it as well. Thank you!
crosnic said 8 years ago
Kudos to Etsy and especially to Kat for suggesting an eco-friendly substitute glue. Now this project not only promotes reuse, it promotes the idea of of exploring alternative materials to replace the ones we so often reach for that may not be great for the environment. (And I thought wheat paste was only for paper mache! I will definitely try it in this project. Thx!)
Michelle Rotter from AngesAttic said 8 years ago
OK, thoughts in my head. Special birthday envelopes for kids birthday parties, you get a new envelope when you buy the card. Christmas cards that you can attach to the presents, maybe smaller and something extra to open. Anniversary cards for parties. Baby shower cards. Valentine's cards for your honey. I wouldn't mail them either, but there are so many occasions where you hand somebody a card. Oh my goodness...wedding cards! I have to get to work making these now!
Judith Daley from DancingFoxStudios said 8 years ago
Love this...what a classy way to give a money gift for a wedding or graduation! Can't wait to use some of my silk scrap on this one!
Jema Watts from BadgeShack said 8 years ago
I love this idea. Would be great for coupons and a business card holder too. Thanks for the awesome idea.
DeMaris Gaunt from MudHorseArt said 8 years ago
This is a great idea! Thanks for sharing :)
Susan Dalton from asoutherndaughter said 8 years ago
Wonderful idea! Love it!
Keri from twentyseven27soap said 8 years ago
Really cool- do you use fabric markers to address them?
SusiesBoutiqueTLC from SusiesBoutiqueTLC said 8 years ago
Great idea. Thank you. :)
Greta de Parry from GretadeParry said 8 years ago
Love! Thanks!!
Maren from Cornbreadbottomstore said 8 years ago
Fantastic idea! My mom is now in a nursing home and I now have all of her quilting fabric. I am bursting at the seams (literally!) because there is so much of it! Problem is I don't have a sewing machine. This is one idea I will try for sure! Thanks so much!!
Elizabeth M. Hollands from ElizabethMDJewelry said 8 years ago
I wonder if you could put something like that through the mail!? THat would be seriously cool to get!
Tammy from QuinceVintage said 8 years ago
This is cool! will be making some of these this weekend!
Ember from ShabbyRoad said 8 years ago
What a fabulous idea )) I may just try and find a bit of time to make some:D
Diane Cullum from TwoChicklets said 8 years ago
I'm going to make one soon! It's so cute.
Mary from CositaBellaCreations said 8 years ago
OMG i love it! very good idea..
Katerina Balyuk from katuasha said 8 years ago
Interesting!
Sarah Robinson from Mouflon said 8 years ago
Wonderful idea and I have lots of fabric scraps I can use. Perhaps use the idea for bigger used envelopes too! And perhaps even liven up the padded envelopes when using them for sales or gifts. Thank you Kat Roberts
Judy from emmylucy said 8 years ago
How about stitching the fabric and paper together on your sewing machine? I will try repurposing those nice heavy duty kraft shopping bags. I love all the feedback and other tips!
Renata Lader from RenataUniqueGifts said 8 years ago
Thank you for this Very detailed explonation. Looks like fun!
Victoria Allison from CedarHausWoodStudio said 8 years ago
Thank you for sharing! Looks like a lot of fun!
Kat and Michel from whitehaus said 8 years ago
Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm for the project! Keri: Fabric markers are probably fine, so long as you're fabric doesn't have a print that makes it difficult to read. I used a colorful piece of masking tape for writing the address on. If you choose to do the same, make sure you avoid the kinds with low tack. I know a few people have asked about how well these fare in the mail. I've recently sent a few to some friends. Hope to get some feedback soon! Will let you all know:)
joolrylane from joolrylane said 8 years ago
i love these
Hannah Bee said 8 years ago
I just bought scraps the other day! Can't wait to try this...
Joy from madebyciel said 8 years ago
i'm totally going to make this one! I've been wanting to make my own envelopes but didn't really want to buy the tool template for it, now I know how to make my own templates. Thank you!
MaryLou from MLDesignStudios said 8 years ago
this is wonderful. Have to make some for Linus Group and for my daughter who makes cards. Really cool. thanks
Charlene Owens from charlenesembroidery said 8 years ago
A very cool idea. I always wondered how to recycle all those wasteful envelopes I receive in the mail.
Kerry from WanderingJeweler said 8 years ago
Thank you Etsy for adding some eco friendly changes to this tutorial. I like the posts on using magazines instead of fabric. I was wondering if you could use a large old photograph? Or old photos attached to the envelope? I think that would be fun as long as the photos were not too embarassing...
J B Hoover said 8 years ago
I've been making paper envelopes for years from out of date calendar pictures and from plain brown paper sacks and sometimes I'll get sturdy wrapping paper that I can use. I never thought about using fabric scraps! I have a closet full of fabric scraps and I'm now going to start making fabric envelopes for "just a note" cards, Thank You notes,etc. What a GREAT idea. Thanks!
artl8dy from ArtL8dY said 8 years ago
Wow! Why didn't I think of this? I'm so into recycling and fabric. I'm signing off to make some!!!!
Tuesday Freya from TuesdaysAndFridays said 8 years ago
I'm with you, I don't like throwing anything, and tend to keep scraps and paper/envelopes that I hope to send to the recyclers. This is definitely something worthwhile to do. :)
Pauline Thomas from pauline23 said 8 years ago
What a grate Idea. Thank you so much for shearing. I love them.
Rose Marie Barden from JewelsintheMaking said 8 years ago
Remarkable! I love it, adn I will be trying it! Thanks
aide garfio from PrettyElegance said 8 years ago
Love the idea, learned so much especially with Duro product adheisive!!!
Nancy Thompson from kwaltervintage said 8 years ago
Will they go through the US mail ? How would you write the address on the darker fabrics/colors ? Very cool idea !!
happyshopper1031 from HappyShop123 said 8 years ago
great idea. thank you for sharing.
annette lee from NetsNickNacks said 8 years ago
okay, thanks for letting me know i'm not (totally) insane; my husband and daughter have asked why i'm keeping return envelopes. what will i do with them. i didn't know at the time (about a year i've been stacking them up). well----it'll blow their minds when I get these made!!! Adorably useful and practical recycling!!!!
Amber Woods from ElegantCorner said 8 years ago
I enjoy you sharing this crafty idea, love it!
Chris said 7 years ago
Thanks for the crafty ideas! Some other ones: You may want to fold the fabric over the inside of the top flap and then glue it. Or close the envelope by weaving an elastic loop through a button's holes and sewing buttons on before gluing the fabric to the paper. Would Starch Spray for clothes also work to stiffen the fabric and make it more sturdy/last longer? I'm gonna try adhesive vellum and contact paper in lieu of fabric, too. Happy crafting!
kate young from CutTheSew said 6 years ago
the "JIFF" is CUTE ! @CHALLO
GreenChickenDesigns from GreenChickenDesigns said 6 years ago
Cool idea! We do upcycled fabric cards and we're always trying to think of new ways to use fabric scraps and old t-shirts.