Who needs to spend tons of money on store-bought designs when you can make your own? Check out this guide on making mini tote bags! These work great as holiday treat and small gift bags. The techniques in this tutorial are not limited to tote bags, and can be used on any sort of fabric that may need some spicing up.
You can find the materials used in this tutorial in our Mini Tote Painting Kit, available for sale in our eBay shop!
Zelda’s Art World Mini Tote Painting Kit
What You’ll Need:
Mini Tote Bag (or whatever you would like to decorate)
Fabric Paint
Paint Applicator (Stencil Brush, Sponge or Paper Towel)
Paint Brushes (optional)
Disposable Plate (to use as a palette)
Any type of inexpensive paper
Masking Tape (optional)
Note: Most fabrics will need to be prewashed. Be sure to read the directions on the back of your paint before starting.
Step 1
Place your bag flat on your work surface. If your bag has any wrinkles, now is the time to iron it with a warm (not too hot!) iron. If you work moderately heavy with the paint, it will bleed through the bag fabric, and cause the sides of the bag to stick together when they dry. Insert a piece of paper so they don’t stick.
Step 2
Choose a color to stencil first, and squeeze a small amount on to your plate or palette.
Step 3
Pick your stencil and place it on the bag. You may want to apply some masking tape around the edges to keep it in place and to avoid getting paint on the bag outside the stencil area.
Step 4
Use your applicator (I used a paper towel this time around) to completely fill in the stencil using a patting motion. Don’t be afraid of getting paint on the stencil. This is actually the easiest way to make sure that the edges of your picture come out crisp.
Step 5
Remove stencil and leave bag to dry. Wipe excess paint off of the stencil and plate. Both can be reused one they’re dry.
Fabric (acrylic) paint is water-resistant once dry. Just let your palette dry with your bag, and you can use it again and again with different colors throughout the whole project.
Step 6
After about 15 minutes, or once the work area is dry to touch, choose your next color and stencil, and repeat the above process. I used only two colors and stencils for this project, but you can used as many as you want!
Don't throw your stencils away after you use them! Wipe off the excess paint and let them dry. They will last a few projects.
Step 7
Add to your stencil designs by using a paint brush or precision tube tip to add a bit of freehand flare.
Step 8
When you’re finished, be sure to follow the directions on your fabric paint. Most paints are permanent after being allowed to dry for a few days, but some will need to be heat set.
Happy crafting!
-Khadijah
You can find the materials used in this tutorial in our Mini Tote Painting set available for sale in our eBay shop!
