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DIY Gift Box in a Few Easy Steps (So Cute!)

Make a DIY gift box using a very simple method – along with fabric and Mod Podge! This idea is easy to make and easy to customize.

Skills Required: Beginner. It’s easy to cover this box in fabric with decoupage medium – even if you’ve never used Mod Podge before.

DIY Gift Box in a Few Easy Steps (So Cute!)

Hello lovely Mod Podgers! Its’ Rachel again from Lines Across. I really love coming up with creative ways to wrap gifts.

Do you have a lot of fun fabric lying around and you’re not sure what to make with it? Maybe you have some cute scraps leftover from another fabric project.

Or maybe, like me, you can’t resist buying weird shaped cuts of pretty fabric in the discount bin at the craft store. This fabric covered DIY gift box is a perfect scrap busting project.

You can tie a little bow around the top and use this handmade gift box to give a special gift, or you can just make a few to store your own jewelry in and add a little more color to your dresser.

(don’t forget to check out our gift bag and gift wrap ideas too!)

Homemade Gift Box

What you need:

gift box, fabric, Mod Podge Fabric, scissors, and a paintbrush

What you do:

1. Start by cutting a piece of fabric that will cover the top or bottom or your box. Make sure you leave extra room to cover the sides. Dab a medium coat of Fabric Mod Podge over the top of your box.

You could also use regular Mod Podge for your DIY gift box, but the Fabric Mod Podge has a thicker texture that seems to soak into the fabric well.

Gift box with Mod Podge on the top and fabric underneath, laying next to a brush

2. Place the fabric on top of your box and press down so that the fabric is smooth and there are no bubbles. I wanted the box to feel like fabric, so I did not add any Mod Podge on top of the fabric.

Black and white zig zag fabric smoothed down on the top of a gift box

3. As this is drying, flip the lid over and cut carefully along each corner of the box as shown in the picture below.

Box laying on top of black and white zig zag fabric with the corners cut out

4. Dab Mod Podge around the outside edges of the box, and fold over the fabric pieces. If you are using a thin fabric, you can also fold the fabric over the box and add Mod Podge to the inside of the DIY gift box as well.

This will give a very finished looking edge on the outside of the box. You could also very carefully trim the fabric right across the edges.

Repeat the same process for the bottom. (It would also be cute to just add fabric to the lid.)

Pink fabric being Mod Podged to the bottom of the gift box

5. If you want to add another touch, you could cut out a piece of felt and attach it with Fabric Mod Podge to the inside top and inside bottom of the box.

It will also cover up the uneven edges of fabric that might be showing through.

I used bright yellow felt for the top and bottom. (If I could do it again, I would use white felt for the bottom since it barely shows through.)

Bottom and top of gift box on a piece of bright yellow felt with a pair of scissors

6. Since I wanted the box to feel like fabric, I didn’t add any Mod Podge to the outside of the fabric. I did, however, go back and add a very small amount of Mod Podge along the edges and corners to prevent fraying.

Make sure you give the box ample time to dry before you put the top on the bottom.

How to make a gift box

What’s great about this DIY gift box is that you can cover any sized box in fabric and use it to give jewelry, like handmade bracelets.

DIY gift box with a handmade bracelet on top

You could also use seasonal colors and fabrics for special occasions like Christmas, and even use these little fabric covered boxes to give other items like gift cards.

Yield: 1 box

DIY Gift Box

How to make a gift box

Learn how to decorate a gift box with fabric and Mod Podge! So easy to customize.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $2

Materials

  • Gift box
  • Fabric Mod Podge
  • Fabric
  • Felt

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Brush

Instructions

  1. Cut the fabric. Cut a piece to cover the bottom of the box, then cut a different pattern to cover the top.
  2. Dab a medium coat of Fabric Mod Podge on the top of the box. Place the fabric on top of the box and smooth out bubbles.
  3. As this is drying, flip the lid over and cut carefully along each corner of the box,
  4. Dab Mod Podge around the outside edges of the box, and fold over the fabric pieces to the inside.
  5. Repeat the same process for the bottom.
  6. Cut the felt to fit the inside top and bottom of the box; affix with Fabric Mod Podge.
  7. Let dry for several hours before gifting.

Notes

Costs vary for this project depending on the size box - and I had my fabric on hand.

Did You Make This Project?

Please leave a rating or share a photo on Pinterest!


Are you ready to make a DIY gift box of your own? Let me know in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out these other projects:

bethany

Wednesday 20th of September 2023

theyre beautiful but.. to make a gift bpx you will need a gift box?? man

Amy

Thursday 21st of September 2023

These are paper mache boxes from the craft store and not necessary *gift boxes.* They could be anything. So yes to decorate a box for a gift, you do need some soft of a box that you purchase or construct :)

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