Make-It-Over Monday Craft Challenge

Make-It-Over Monday Craft Challenge:

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Monogrammed Tote Bag Craft

Sherri Osborn

Follow these directions and find out how you can make your own monogrammed tote bag using simple applique techniques. I made one of these for every female member of my daughter's wedding party.

• Age Guideline: 8 Years and Up
• Time Required: 60 minutes (Does not include drying time)

The above age and time guidelines are estimates. This project can be modified to suit other ages and may take more or less time depending on your circumstances.

Materials Needed:

• Blank Canvas Tote Bag (Mine was approximately 18" x 14")
• Fusible Web
• Thick Ribbon
• Scrap of Fabric Needle and Thread
• Rhinestones and Heat Setting Tool (Optional)
• Scissors
• Iron

Instructions:
Cut a piece of ribbon that is about one inch longer than the top edge of the tote bag. Cut a piece of fusible web the same size as the ribbon. Iron the fusible web to the back side of the ribbon. Iron the fusible web side of the ribbon around the top edge of the tote bag. You will be covering the ends with a bow so make sure the ends are in the spot you want the bow to be!

Before you use an iron on the ribbon, test the iron on a scrap piece of ribbon to make sure the heat will not ruin the ribbon. Some ribbon will melt and some printed ribbon will smear. With my printed ribbon, I used a Teflon pressing sheet and just pressed the ribbon. If I moved the iron back and forth the printed polka dots smeared!

Now you can hand draw the monogram letter on the paper side of the fusible web, or you can do like I did and print the desired letter out and trace it onto the fusible web. The letter must be drawn or traced backwards onto the fusible web.

Cut around the letter, leaving about an extra 1/4 of an inch of fusible web around your drawing/tracing. Iron the fusible web to the back of your fabric scrap. Let it cool and then cut out the letter.

Peel the paper backing off the fabric letter and place it, right side up, onto the desired location on the tote bag. Use the iron to press it in place. Let it cool.

Now you can cut another piece of ribbon, about 24-inches long. Tie it into a bow and then use a needle and thread the attach it to the tote bag covering the ends of the ribbon you fused on. You will probably want a thimble because you will have to push hard to get the needle through the layers of ribbon and tote bag.

The tote bag pictured here was my daughters so we found some iron on rhinestones that spelled out Bride and put it on the back of her bag. We also had iron on rhinestones for the Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, and Flower Girl. You can use rhinestones and a heat setting tool to write out something on the back of your bag or just leave it as-is!