Eco Wine Bags, Step-by-Step

Always stuck trying to figure out how to transport a wine bottle over to someone’s home for dinner? Make a handful of these, and you’ll always have one on hand. And they’re eco!

Here’s what you need (same as regular eco bags): smooth, preferably non-glossy paper, watered-down white glue, a dowel or similar object for smoothing, and a rag to keep things clean. That’s it!

The original pages I used are 28 x 37 cm. and the finished bag is 29 x 14 x 10 cm.

Start out by making double sheets of your paper so it’s stronger, just like you did for regular eco bags (photo in link). Run a line of white glue all around the edges, then do a diagonal line. Place the second page on top, and run the dowel over both pages to smooth out. Make at least two of these, or two for each bag you plan to make (each bag takes two double sheets, plus two more single sheets for the handles).

Be sure to keep the two sheets lined up perfectly for this step. Choose the width you want the bag to be, and make a fold down the right hand side, smoothing *lightly* with the dowel.

Then fold back along that first fold, and smooth lightly with the dowel. Next, make a small fold down the left hand side of about one inch (not quite as wide as the double fold on the right hand side), and smooth lightly with the dowel.

Now separate the two sheets, flip the top one over horizontally (like you’re turning the page in a book), and glue the narrow left hand flap of the lower sheet to the edge of the top sheet. Do the same on the other side, and smooth both sides lightly with the dowel. Keep in mind that the edges are moist with the glue, and if you run the dowel across them with too much pressure, the paper will break (see below).

Now you should have a little pocket. Flatten the pocket, and open up the left hand pleat. Measure its width with your dowel. Keep your finger at that point on the dowel.

Now take that measurement and place it along the bottom edge of the pocket. Make a fold *substantially less* as that measurement. This is especially important in the long, narrow bags. If you make the fold too wide, you’ll have problems in the next step (just re-fold if it’s too wide).

Now fold the corners up to the main fold like, little flaps. If the flaps overlap each other, the main fold is too wide, and you’ll need to re-fold here.

Now open up the little pocket, and fold in the sides, smoothing along the diagonal corners of the little flaps. This part can be tricky. Practice patience at this step. Now flatten the whole thing down. This step can be difficult if previous folds were not made precisely.

Now, glue just the two little triangles on the first flap (it can be top or bottom, it’s the same) and fold up. Smooth down with the dowel, and hold this for a few seconds so it dries well.

Then glue the last two triangles, as well as the top edge of the flap, and fold down. Smooth with the dowel, and hold once more for a few seconds so it dries well.

Smooth well with the dowel (*lightly* because it’s all really moist at this point).

Now make a fold of a little less than an inch along the top edge of the bag, and smooth well with the dowel.

Open up the bag, and fold the edge inside. Close the bag once more, and smooth the edge with the dowel. Now you’ve got a bag!

Follow the steps on the previous eco bag post to make the handles.

Enjoy!

If anyone out there starts making these, please drop in with a comment below, and/or send a pic! Would love to see results!