I've loved washi tape since I first discovered it on American craft blogs in 2009, and loved being one of the first washi tape UK stockists. This Japanese tape is one of my craft supply staples as it's so versatile for easy DIY ideas and washi tape projects typically don't need a lot of skill.

I found some gift wrapping ideas from the Papermash archives and thought it would be fun to re-share. The top image is one of my favourite gift wrapping washi tape ideas ever!  These are all images we've styled previously for our product shots. 

1. Layered washi tape belly band

Washi tape is the perfect craft material for layering, as it tears easily. I loved this vintage-style book tape with text which I made into a book band by layering it onto a natural watercolour paper which I slightly ripped at the edges for a vintage look. With washi tape it works well if you can assemble it on a flat surface - that's why the belly band works well. I was using pages from an old botanical book as vintage gift wrapping, and although washi tape is removeable and repositionable, it's more likely to tear a delicate paper.

2. Washi tape bow

This washi tape bow is a simple way to jazz up plain paper if you've run out of ribbon. It can be a little tricky to get right, so I recommend cutting out the centre of the bow on a cutting mat and paying a lot of attention to the straight lines of the mat grid. Then gently lift up the bow from your mat and add it to your parcel. In this case, it's was a little easy to make the straight lines accurate as the brown paper has very fine lines on it which I could use as a guide.

3. Washi tape bunting

Washi tape bunting is one of the easier gift wrapping ideas which doesn't require a scalpel. Use a fine thread or cord, and fold a piece of tape over the string so it sticks together - making sure the edges line up. Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut the tape into triangles or snip triangles into the edges. You can also use this mini bunting to decorate a birthday cake by attaching it to wooden skewers or paper straws.

4. Washi tape numbers

For letters and numbers without curves, you can layer up washi tape on a cutting mat and then transfer it across to wrapping paper using a scalpel. If you're not as fussy about straight lines or find it tricky, you can experiment using one tape but it can look really striking with a 'shadowed' border. You can see how I styled the letter L similarly using black, white and grey washi tape  here.

Most of the above designs are discontinued, but you can find similar colours and patterns here.

//

You might also like these diy washi tape crafts:

- Easy washi tape crafts

- Liberty print washi tape

- Sew your own paper gift bags