ELEGANT BOTTLE WRAP

A bottle of something nice is even nicer with this decorative sleeve

You will need:

Bottle of wine (to give away, not to keep!)

Kraft paper

Glue or double-sided tape Complementary ribbon or twine of choice

1 Cut your paper into a triangle shape – the peak should measure the height of bottle (plus 6–7cm), while the width needs to be the circumference of the bottle (plus 7–8cm).

2 Determine the centre of the triangle by folding in half, then starting at the left-hand side, make 1cm accordion pleats (see right) until you reach the central point. Crease your folds firmly, running your finger and thumb along each one to ensure a crisp pleat.

3 Wrap the bottle from the right-hand side and where the paper meets the inside of the longest pleat, apply glue or double-sided tape to seal the two sides of the paper together.

4 Position your ribbon or twine roughly one-third up from the base of the bottle and tie tightly.

5 To create the fan at the bottom of the pleat, apply adhesive or double-sided tape to the outer edge of the pleat beneath the tied cord and bring it up to meet the outer edge of the pleat above, then press firmly in place.

How to make an accordion pleat:

Firstly, decide on the width of your pleat. Make the initial valley fold from the edge of the paper to give you the guide. Flip the paper over, aligning the mountain fold with the edge of the paper and crease precisely. Flip over again, aligning the valley fold with the edge of the paper, and continue in this way to create a continuous series of mountain and valley folds.