I
n recent years, eco-friendly and
zero-waste living have gone from
trendy buzzwords to a way of
life for many, including myself!
And never is that more true than at
Christmas. It’s easy to let the waste
pile up, especially when it comes
to gift wrapping. But I’ve got a fun,
crafty way to help reduce some of
that waste!
Last year, I created some free
templates for reusable, zero-waste
embroidered gift tags, and I’m
excited to stitch up some more this
year. Each one can be crafted in less
than 20 minutes, then reused over
and over again.
You could also easily personalise
these gift tags, simply by stitching the
recipient’s initials onto the design.
They could then cut away their initials
and stitch a different one, in order
to reuse the tag. Or, even better, they
could keep their own initials and hang
it on their tree as an ornament.108 • DECEMBER 2021Mike Aspinall runs
one of the UK’s most
popular craft blogs,
The Crafty Gentleman,
where he shares free
DIY tutorialsCRAFT & DIYYou will need- Printable template (find them
at thecraftygentleman.net or
draw your own!) - Felt or thick card
(at least 200gsm) - Sewing needle
- Embroidery thread
- Tailor’s chalk (if using felt)
- Scissors
Add a homemade touch to your
festivities with these tagsIt’s A Wrap
What to do
1 Print out the templates, then cut out
the design you want to make. If you’re
making the tags in card, print them
directly onto your cardstock, but if
you’re making them in felt, print them
onto paper and trace the design onto
the felt with tailor’s chalk.