I made this last night.

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/projec...erns_ss11.html

Some people I know are buying the 99 cent shopping bags in different colors and using an orphan block to sew on it and tehy are so cute. Great idea too. Bags and such are getting so high. This is a great post, good ideas. Thanks members

Idea using practice blocks.

These are great bags...love yours using Christmas fabric!

I made a 12 inch size using an orphaned block. There is a small scented candle in the one showing it being used.

Besides using the comics for wrapping paper, my DGM used to open up the large brown grocery bags and tie with strings. With money being tight, she used anything she could. We always knew which ones were from grandma and those would be the first ones everyone wanted to open.
This is a great thread and has a lot of fantastic ideas!!

The sweetest memories have "character".

I have that pattern and never thought to use it as a wrap! That is so cute with all the santas. I will use this idea!

For this bag I just used a layer of bottom weight fabric and not a thin batting, so I did use three layers of fabric. For the next one I'll sew up closer to the end of the handles than the 2" they suggest. It should still have the space to turn the project...and less hand stitching to close the seams. I'm also thinking about making another set of pattern templates and adding 1/4" seam allowances to the places it's taped together for a patchwork/scrappy bag.

For fellow quilters, I just use pretty fabric as if it were paper wrapping. Scotch tape holds it well and then the quilter can add the fabric to her stash. I received a gift in a bag once that had a piece of fabric in place of the usual tissue paper; that was nice.