Gift Wrapping: Nautical Knots
For a gift wrap look that feels distinctly summery, think knots not bows. Though highly utilitarian, nautical knots, complete with the textured twines that weave them, are rich with nuance and evoke an undeniable sense of romance—for a lover, for the sea, for sailing off into the sunset.
Feeling knotty? Let's continue...
Nautical knot inspired gift wrapping for a beach-y, coastal look. "Coral Reef" wrapping paper designs by Shay Spaniola for Bunglo.
We love the fact that these nautical knot gift wrap looks lend themselves perfectly to using natural cordages like jute, coconut coir, cotton rope, hemp twine, and sisal. For gift wrapping any time of year, we gravitate to these natural fibers, simply because they are biodegradable, look great with Wrappily's uncoated paper, and are a perfect fit in our quest to keep our wrapping eco-friendly. Plus, we can't get enough of all the different textures.
We had all this in mind when we planned the 2015 photoshoot for this pattern collection by bunglo and couldn't wait to experiment. Below is what we learned.
For a smaller box a reef, or square knot, creates a clean line. It's a simple, handsome knot especially when made with a larger gauge rope. For more flair, double the rope. Not exactly sure how to tie a reef, or square knot? Here's a tutorial.
For as quick as it is to tie, the single half-hitch ends up looking quite elegant on a gift. Usually used to tie a line to an object like a loop or ring, for this purpose we are tying the rope to itself. To do so, first cut the rope to size by generously doubling the wrapped width of the box. Fold the length in half to create two different ends: the loose cut ends on one side (this is your working end), and the static "loop" or folded end on the other. The half-hitch comes together in a breeze, just as this tutorial demonstrates.
Nautical inspired gift wrapping featuring a half-hitch knot and cotton rope for beach-y, coastal look. "Beach House" wrapping paper designed by Shay Spaniola for Bunglo.
Half-hitch chains: Multiple half hitch knots strung together begin to take on a lovely ornamental look. Keep repeating the knot to achieve the desired chain length. This look works just as well with a thin twine, like jute, or this cotton rope, which is thick yet pliable.
Nautical inspired gift wrapping feature half-hitch knot chains and cotton rope and natural cordage for beach-y, coastal look. "Riptide" wrapping paper designed by Shay Spaniola for Bunglo.
To make a dramatic statement, we used the savoy, or figure eight knot, tied in a rough, large gauged manila rope—a stiff, very textured cordage. We doubled, even tripled our cords to achieve the perfect sized knot for our different boxes. The manila rope is too stiff and bulky to wrap around a gift box, so we secured our knot embellishments on the gift using a hemp cord. The thin hemp cord easily threaded through the twists of the rope, and we think they look great in contrast to each other.
Though it looks fancy, the figure eight knot is quick to tie, as this tutorial demonstrates. If using multiple cords, adjust the lines while the knot is still loose, then pull carefully to tighten. And have fun with the tails! As you can see we left some long for extra flair, and trimmed some close for a tighter appearance.
If you are wrapping a lot of boxes or looking to create a scene, compliment your nautical knot gift wrap with additional accents. We used polished coconut buttons, found shells and driftwood, beach glass, and coral to help complete the look.
Yo, Ho, Ho! It's a wrapper's life for we.
Happy Wrapping!
Nautical knot inspired gift wrapping for a beach-y, coastal look. Wrapping paper designs by Shay Spaniola for Bunglo.
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