ReadyMade: Instructions for everyday life

Dollar Menu: Wrapper’s Delight

Dress up your gifts in cast-off clothing.

by Amy Palanjian

Photos by Kathryn Gamble & Rick Lozier

Who needs pricey wrapping paper when you can make the most of old clothes? Cut flannel shirts or pants apart at the seams, making large rectangle-ish pieces. Make sure that you have enough to cover the box you’re using, then wrap as if you were using paper and secure with double-stick tape. (Put a few strips of double-stick tape on the box to help hold the fabric in place.) Tie bows out of shoelaces or with strips of felt. To make a fabric box topper, cut the hem off a leftover shirt and spiral it into an overlapping circle. Scrunch and gather in the middle. Stitch the center with a needle and thread and use double-stick tape or a safety pin to secure it to the top of your box.