DIY Tie Enclosure Envelopes

 

Today, we're going to show you how easy it is to use colorful baker's twine to create your own tie enclosure envelopes!

This is such a great way to spruce up an envelope to match the already-fabulous card you're sending to a friend!

With just a few tools and a few easy steps...you'll be on your way with some fabulous DIY tie enclosure envelopes.

First, you'll need to gather some supplies. Below, we give a list of the supplies you'll need and a little explanation of why you need each item...

You'll need:

Envelopes - any size will work! We fell in love with the long, slender look of the size #10 envelopes. We used #10 open end envelopes from Paper Source.

Hole Punch & Eyelet Setter - We used the Crop-o-Dile Big Bite because it's an "all-in-one" tool, but if you have a simple hole punch and eyelet setter, you can definitely adapt the tutorial to use those tools as well. You can also use the regular Crop-o-Dile if your 'reach' isn't more than an inch or so. We don't want this to come across as an "ad or promotion" for NEEDING the Crop-o-Dile Big Bite...it's an investment, we know, but it's a handy little tool that you'll find yourself reaching to use more than you'll know! 

Eyelets - we used the 3/16" size for this project, but any size will work! You can find fun shapes and sizes at almost any craft store or  online. 

Baker's Twine - you know where to find that, right? HERE. 

Scissors - you'll need them to trim the twine

Card Stock - these will be used to create the enclosure base (or shapes for the tie enclosure). Choose colorful hues of card stock...or even paint swatch cards from your local hardware store! They work well and they are sturdy/thick. Just be sure you don't use flimsy paper...you'll want something sturdy for the twine to wrap around.

Hand Paper Punches - these will also be used to create the enclosure base. We took colorful card stock and used some of our favorite hand punches from The Martha Stewart Crafts line - check out these HERE - to create the circle and heart base for the enclosure. Any punch will work as long as it produces a shape of about 1 inch or larger. If you have a die cut machine...that works, too! 

Now you're all ready to get started!

1. Create your shapes with the card stock and paper punches. Choose the desired placement...see our image for placement reference.

**For easier work-ability, you can use a eensy-teensy dab a glue to adhere the shapes to your envelope if you would like. And when we say eensy-teensy dab...we're serious! If you use too much glue, it'll adhere the entire piece and you won't be able to wrap the twine around the shape. 

2. Mark the center of your shapes...this is where you will punch the hole and set the eyelets. 

3 and 4. Use your hole punch or Crop-o-Dile to punch the holes on both shapes on the envelope. Setting the hole and eyelets on the flap is easy, but when you'll need to actually insert the hole punch 'inside' the envelope (see image below) to punch the hole and set the eyelet...

...if not, you'll end up with a hole on the front of the envelope and that won't look pretty! 

5. Cut about an 8-9 inch piece of twine and then lift the shape on the top flap of the envelope to place the twine under it (you'll need to see the twine in the hole...that will ensure that when you set the eyelet, it also "grabs" the twine to hold it in place (see image 5 above). 

6. Insert the eyelet into the hole

7. Set the eyelet on the top flap

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the bottom shape (you only need twine on the top flap). When you're done...it should look like image 8 above. 

Now you're ready to wrap the enclosure...

Using a "figure eight" wrapping techinque...wrap the twine around the enclosure shapes...and that's it! 

It may seem daunting at first...but once you try it once, you'll realize how incredibly easy it is...and you'll be making DIY Tie Enclosure envelopes in seconds!

Give it a whirl! 

We hope you enjoyed this little tutorial!

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