DIY Wedding Favor Bags With A Twist

There is something brilliantly refined and luxurious about paper which has been sewn on a sewing machine. The string through the paper adds texture and that surprising little detail many people just can’t resist to carefully touch when they see it.

I absolutely love these little DIY wedding favor bags. Every time I see them it dazzles me how easy and cheap they are to make!

One sheet of A4 paper makes two small bags. The bags are perfect for small “light weight” treats like Salt Water Taffies or similar. You can make all your bags well in advance of your wedding and simply store them “still open” until the week of the wedding.

Here is how I make these striking DIY wedding favor bags:

Firstly cut a piece of A4 in half. You can use patterned paper, plain white paper or colored paper the possibilities are truly endless. You can also decorate plain paper with text on your computer before you begin making your bags or decorate with stickers, stamps or similar later. When I made these little bags I created a design for an A5 size piece of paper (that’s half a sheet of A4 paper). You can download my designs at the bottom of the page. 

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“Fold” an A5 piece of paper in half without making a hard crease down through the middle. Do this by simply pinching the two top corners together so you create a curve with the paper.

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Now place the top edge of your paper under your sewing machines "presser foot". Keep the two top corners pinched together and arrange your paper so the corners are pointing towards you. As you press down the "presser foot" onto your paper you will create a small crease in the paper at the top. This is okay but only make a crease at the top. 

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With small stitches (it's up to you of course) sew together the top part of the paper. Begin this by lightly securing the seam as you would if you were sewing in fabric. Stop sewing approximately 0.2 inches from the tip of the corners you pinched together earlier. With the needle down lift the "presser foot" and carefully turn your paper 90 degrees against the clock “around” the needle. Now are now ready to sew down the long side of the paper. Again, lower the "presser foot" and sew all the way down to the edge of your paper. Remember to secure the seam before you remove the paper from the sewing machine. 

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Trim of any excess strings hanging from the paper for a neat look. You should now have a bag which is only open in one end, ready to fill with your chosen wedding favor. If you are preparing your bags ahead of your wedding day and don’t want to fill it yet then proceed to the making your next bag. When your all your bags are sewn on two sides (only) you store them loosely in a bag or similar until you need them.

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Fill your bag with your wedding favor treats and prepare to close the bag. Be careful not to overfill your favor bags. Press the side with the seam and the side without the seam (the curve) together centering the seam. The bottom of your bag should now be closed in the opposite direction of the top of bag. This is what gives the bag the unusual almost “triangular” shape.

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Ready to stitch up the end of your bag place the bottom edge of the paper under the "presser foot" like before. Sew the bottom of bag approximately 0.2inches from the edge. Remember to secure your seam at the beginning and at the end before you remove the bag from the sewing machine. Now cut of excess string and your bag is finished.

Although this project reads long and perhaps seems involved, it takes me less than 1 minute to complete one bag. It’s so easy and when you get the hang if it you will be amazed how quick this little project is.

Download my "twist bag" paper designs here: