When any holidays approach, it's great to have a store of elegant little boxes like those pictured at right and below up your gift-giving sleeve. Folded from a square of beautiful paper or from plain paper covered with fabric, these origami boxes are easy to construct in dimensions to accommodate a variety of small-sized contents, from jewelry to socks to handmade chocolates, or even cash. And the best part is that these boxes can uncomplicated your holidays! Make up a batch in a variety of fabrics to hold gifts for friends, special coworkers, teachers, and other lucky recipients.

HOW TO FOLD YOURSELF A BOX? SEE INSTRUCTIONS...

Colorful, folded-fabric gift boxes are sure to be recycled, and make an elegant presentation for any small gift. A single button makes a perfect decoration for the top.

And this is a wrapping that won't be thrown away. The empty box is a treasure in itself, and can quickly be adapted to a variety of other uses--perhaps as the perfect stash for buttons, earrings, business cards, tubes of sparkling beads, or sewing notions.

Fabric or paper?

The word origami comes from the Japanese ori, meaning "to fold," and kami, meaning "paper." The idea of folding paper originated in ancient China, and became a truly creative art in the hands of the Japanese.

To experiment with the simple folding technique required for this box, I suggest that you practice making a box in paper before you begin with fabric. Ordinary computer, plain bond, or copier paper all work well for practicing, and can be used for the base layer of a fabric-covered box.

To make a fabric box, you'll bond the fabric to plain paper using HeatnBond Lite, Pellon's Wonder-Under, or a similar fusible web. The paper base stabilizes the fabric and gives it the ability to "hold" a creased fold.

Fabrics that work well include firmly woven cottons and medium-weight silks like dupioni. If you enjoy creating your own fabrics, try making boxes from hand-painted silk or fabric with marbleized or rubber-stamped designs. You need only a small piece of fabric for each box (an 8-1/2-in. square makes a 3-in. box top), so your handmade fabric will go a long way.

When I'm making a batch of boxes for gifts, I often use fabric-covered paper for the box top and a coordinating paper alone for the bottom. If the box will contain chocolates or other items that might stain the box, I cut a square of clear plastic (for example, from a school-report cover) that just fits inside the bottom to protect it.

If you'd like to use paper alone for the box bottom, top, or both, choose a heavier-weight charcoal drawing paper, available at an art-supply or craft store. Or if there's a lightweight paper you want to use instead, like rice paper, a map, a child's drawing, or wrapping paper, bond it to plain paper the same way you would fabric, as I'll explain next.

Sizing, fusing, and cutting tips

First, cut the paper base to the exact size required for your box. In order for the box top and bottom to fit together neatly, cut the top piece about 1/4 in. larger than the bottom. For example, for the 3- by 3- by 1-1/2-in. boxes shown at left, start with an 8-1/2-in. square of paper for the top and an 8-1/4-in. square for the bottom.

For a smaller box, try a 6-in. square for the top and a 5-3/4-in. square for the bottom, which yields a box that's 2-1/8 in. square and just over 1 in. high. Tiny boxes are neat, too--for example, a 4-in. square makes a 1-3/8-in.-square box that's 3/4 in. high. It's easy to experiment with box sizes to get one that perfectly fits its contents.

Cut the fabric and fusible web 1/2 to 1 in. larger than the paper in both directions, then trim it to shape after fusing. Using an iron, fuse the web to the fabric's wrong side, following the manufacturer's directions for heat level and pressing time.

When the fabric has cooled, remove the web's protective sheet, lay the fabric right side down, cover it with the paper base and protective sheet, and fuse again, without using steam or moisture. After allowing the layers to cool once more, use a straightedge and rotary cutter to trim the fabric so that it's even with the paper base.

And now you're ready to fold, following the step-by-step instructions in the drawing above. For neat, crisp creases, use the flat end of a burnishing tool, a bone folder, or even a plastic pen barrel to flatten each fold.

For a finishing touch

Embellishing the boxes is a delight! I like to add a single new or antique button to the box top, stitching it in place with embroidery floss, metallic cord, yarn, or fine wire. The challenge is to find the right button to match the personality of each box.

To attach the button, mark a tiny x at the center of the box top. Then, holding the button in place, very gently punch a hole through the buttonholes and box top, using a hatpin or large needle. You can tie and cut the thread ends so that they flop on the box top, or hide them inside. A dot of white glue or Fray Check will anchor the knot. In place of a button, you can tie on a single, chunky bead, or use hot-melt glue to attach a seashell, small piece of driftwood, beach glass, or other unique decoration.

For more information about origami, consult the many books available at your local library or bookstore. 

Once you get started, I think you'll be surprised at how much fun these boxes are to make. And they're sure to make your gift-giving feel more special this year.