Tote Bag designed with Glitter Vinyl & Iron-on-Ink

Create an Iron-on-Ink Tote Bag using Vinyl & Artesprix Markers

Learn how to design an Iron-on-Ink Tote Bag using a Silhouette Cameo

Add a little glam to your Tote Bags with this sparkly Iron-on-Ink Vinyl pattern.

We can never have too many Tote Bags in our house. Whether we’re using them for books and snacks on a road trip or just trying to avoid using plastic bags for groceries, they’re something that we use regularly. 

Of course, if we’re going to use Tote Bags so much, we should make them cute, right? I’d recently used my Artesprix Sublimation Markers to make a DIY make-up bag and knew they’d be perfect for making a Tote Bag pattern too. After all, a plain black bag is just boring and I wanted to add a splash of color!

What Are Artesprix Sublimation Markers?

Don’t know about Artesprix sublimation markers yet? I recently discovered them and now I’m totally hooked! There’s so much you can do with them because they allow you to transfer drawings from regular paper onto other surfaces. You can use them to decorate bags, mugs, clothing and so much more. So I thought, how about an Iron-on-Ink Vinyl Summer Tote Bag?

When transferring directly to fabric, you just need to be sure that the fabric is polyester. However, if you’re a little “crafty”, you can easily get around that.  

For example, the tote bag for this project isn’t polyester but if I use iron on glitter vinyl as a base, it’s easy to transfer the sublimation ink to the vinyl. Plus, the glitter adds sparkle and we can all use more sparkle in our lives, right?

Ready to make your own Tote Bag pattern? Here’s what you’ll need…

Materials:

• Sublimation Markers
• Iron-On Glitter Vinyl
• Tote Bag
• Plain Copy Paper
• Heat Tape
• Protective Paper

Tools:

• Silhouette Cameo 4
• Silhouette Pen Adapter
• Artesprix Heat Press, Dry Iron or Home Iron

*If you don’t have a Silhouette, you can use a lightbox to trace the shape instead.

Step by Step Instructions:

I was pretty excited about this craft project because I’d also be using my new Silhouette Cameo 4 for the first time. The Cameo is at the top of every crafty person’s must-have list and I couldn’t wait to see what it could do.

First things first…I’d need a pattern. I wanted a mandala pattern and found plenty to choose from in the Silhouette store. There were so many good ones that it took me awhile to narrow it down!

Step 1.

Start by programming the Silhouette to cut just the outline of the mandala design. Next, insert the Iron On Glitter Vinyl, liner side down.

Once the shape is cut, remove the material from around the mandala design (also known as weeding). When you’re done, only the mandala shape will be left on the liner.

Step 2.

 Turn on heat press or iron and set it to 400°. Before you add the glitter vinyl, pre-heat the tote for approximately 10 seconds. Next, place the design on the tote bag, liner side up, for 25-30 seconds.

Step 3.

Turn the tote over and heat the back for another 25-30 seconds. Remove from the heat press and let cool.

In the meantime, remove the autoblade from the Silhouette. Take a black Artesprix marker (I used fine point) and insert it into the gray adaptor. With a little trial and error, I found that I had the best results when I slid it right up to the edge of the “r” in Artesprix.

Step 4.

Insert the pen and adapter into the larger white attachment, then place in the Silhouette. Program the Silhouette to sketch the design onto copy paper. Place a piece of copy paper on the Silhouette mat and insert it under the rollers.

My girls and I just stood in front of the Silhouette watching it draw the mandala shape. It was mesmerizing to watch!

Step 5.

Now for my favorite part. Take your Artesprix markers and get coloring!

I love that Artesprix has so many colors to choose from…the possibilities are endless! I went with bold colors this time but I may try pastels for my next project.

Step 6.

Once you finish coloring, you can cut the excess paper off each end. I found it easier to work with a square shape. The Tote Bag should also be cool enough now that you can peel the liner off the glitter vinyl.

Step 7.

Take your design and place it face down on the glitter vinyl (so that the ink side is touching the vinyl). Gently lift each side to double check that the ink pattern is aligned with the vinyl. Once everything is lined up, use Artesprix heat tape to tape the paper to the Tote Bag. Be sure not to cover any of the ink with the tape or that part of the pattern won’t transfer.

Step 8.

Place tote on the heat press and add Artesprix protective paper over the top.

Step 9.

Heat for 35-45 seconds and remove from heat press. Let cool.

Step 10.

Once tote has cooled, slowly lift tape for the big reveal. This is where the Artesprix markers really shine. Once you add the heat, the colors really pop!

You have a completed Iron-on-Ink Vinyl Summer Tote Bag! This design turned out so bright and colorful and the tote is perfect for pretty much anything. I plan to use it for everything from groceries to a day at the beach!  

I love when I can have fun crafting and end up with something so useful too.

If you loved this Iron-on-Ink Vinyl Tote Bag Pattern bye sure to check out this Artesprix Father’s Day Project!

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