Friends and family gatherings are a big part of the holidays. Bringing a bottle of spirits to the festivities is a perfect way to thank your host and hostess. Why not show-off your crafty cleverness with a bottle gift wrap made by upcycling garments. It only takes a few minutes to whip up a bottle cover. Have fun adding embellishments to compliment a theme or add that extra touch to a gift basket with a custom-made wine bottle cover.

Wine Bottle Sleeve

Finished size approximately 12"H x 5"W

You will need:

• Women's shirts of desired fabrics size small to medium
• Needle and matching thread
• Ruler
• Embellishment suggestions: raffia, bottle stopper, (1) 2" x 19" strip of cotton batting (for scarf), jingle bells, curling ribbon

Step 1 Slip shirtsleeve over bottle and lay on its side on a flat surface. Determine how high sleeve cuff will extend to top of bottle. Hold cuff in place at bottle neck and pinch sleeve to center of bottle base with other hand. Remove sleeve from bottle while holding pinched base. 

Step 2 Lay pinched sleeve against a ruler and measure from end of cuff to pinched-off part of sleeve. Add 1/2" to this measurement. 

Step 3 Press sleeve flat. Cut section of sleeve from cuff to determined length. 

Step 4 On raw edge, press 1/4" under to the wrong side of sleeve. Knot end of a double length of thread. Hand baste a running stitch 1/8" from edge, hiding knot inside sleeve. Pull thread to gather. The edge will be pulled to the center. Flatten the gathered closure and secure thread with a double knot on inside of sleeve. 

Step 5 Slip bottle into sleeve and tie embellishments around bottle neck to complete.