How to Wrap a Bottle: Three Neat Methods

Working out how to wrap a bottle can feel awkward at first: it is tall, round, narrow at the top and heavy at the bottom, and none of the usual box folds apply. Once you stop trying to make sharp corners, though, a bottle is quick to wrap and looks generous with very little effort.

Here are three neat methods. Rolling the bottle in paper gives the most traditional result, a tall bag is the fastest, and a knotted cloth needs no tape or scissors at all. Pick whichever suits the materials you have.

Which method to choose

Whichever you pick, wipe the bottle dry first and check that the cap or cork is firmly closed. Damp glass weakens paper and makes tape let go.

Method 1: roll the bottle in paper

This method wraps the body of the bottle smoothly, pleats the paper flat under the base so the bottle still stands, and gathers the extra at the neck.

Measure and cut

Lay the bottle on the wrong side of the paper. You need:

• Around the bottle: enough to roll once around the widest part plus about 2 in (5 cm) of overlap.
• At the base: about 1 in (2.5 cm) of paper past the bottom, or a little more than half the width of the base on a wide bottle.
• At the top: enough to gather above the cap, roughly 3 to 4 in (8 to 10 cm).

Roll, pleat and gather

1. Fold a clean edge. Turn under about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) along the edge of the paper that will end up on the outside.
2. Roll. Tape the opposite edge lightly to the bottle, then roll the bottle up snugly. Fasten the folded edge with double-sided tape underneath, or clear tape on top.
3. Pleat the base. Stand the bottle upside down or lay it on its side. Starting at the seam, fold the extra paper down toward the center of the base in small overlapping pleats, working all the way around the circle.
4. Seal the base. Press the pleats flat and cover the center with a piece of tape or a round sticker. The bottle should stand without wobbling.
5. Gather the top. Stand the bottle upright. Squeeze the paper gently in around the neck, making soft folds rather than hard creases.
6. Tie. Knot ribbon or twine firmly around the neck and finish with a bow. Fluff the paper above the ribbon, or fold it down neatly.

If you are not sure which paper you have, the guide to types of wrapping paper describes how each one handles curves and gathering.

Method 2: a tall bag

A tall, narrow bag is the quickest way to present a bottle. Stand the bottle inside, tuck a sheet or two of tissue around the neck so it peeks over the top, and tie a tag to one handle.

You can fold your own tall bag from kraft or medium-weight paper using the steps in how to make a gift bag from wrapping paper. Make the tube just wide enough for the bottle, and put a piece of card in the bottom.

Method 3: a cloth knotted at the neck

A square of fabric wraps a bottle with no cutting and no tape, and the person who receives it can use the cloth again. A thin cotton towel, a bandana or a scarf all work, as long as the fabric is thin, soft and not slippery. Cotton and linen knot best.

1. Lay the cloth flat as a diamond, wrong side up, and stand the bottle in the center.
2. Lift two opposite corners straight up and tie them together just above the cap with a square knot: right over left, then left over right.
3. Take the other two corners around the neck in opposite directions, crossing them at the back.
4. Bring them to the front and tie a second square knot against the neck.
5. Tidy the folds so the fabric lies smoothly down the sides of the bottle.

For a tall bottle, a square roughly 28 in (70 cm) across gives enough fabric to tie comfortably; test the fit before you start. The same idea, adapted for boxes and books, is explained in fabric gift wrapping.

Finishing touches

The neck of a bottle is a natural place for decoration, because everything gathers there anyway.

• Ribbon. Grosgrain ribbon and twine grip a gathered neck well. Satin is slippery, so knot it twice before tying the bow.
• A tag. Write the names first, then thread the tag onto the ribbon before tying the bow. Other placements are covered in how to attach a gift tag.
• A paper collar. Fold the gathered paper down over the ribbon for a tidy cuff instead of a ruffle.
• A sprig of greenery. Tuck it under the ribbon last, since natural toppers are fragile.

Common problems and fixes

• The bottle wobbles. The base pleats are too bulky. Trim the paper at the base to about 1 in (2.5 cm) and pleat again.
• The paper tore at the shoulder. It was pulled too tight or is too thin. Gather more loosely, or switch to kraft paper.
• The seam gapes open. Add a second piece of tape halfway up, and hide the seam at the back when you give the gift.
• The top looks messy. Trim the gathered paper level with scissors about 2 in (5 cm) above the ribbon.
• The cloth knot slips. The fabric is too slick or too thick. Try a thinner cotton.

Bottles are one of several shapes that need a gentler approach than a box. For tubes, balls and soft items, see how to wrap odd-shaped gifts.