Make this adorable, farmhouse style Oh My Gourd Fall Tote Bag using trendy buffalo check Infusible Ink and the Cricut EasyPress 2!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
I’ve been dying to make a tote bag project since my birthday back in July! I had received a gift card for the craft store and spent it on Infusible Ink, blanks, and other Cricut products. The first time I used Infusible Ink, it didn’t work out very well. My design totally shifted during pressing, not all of the ink had transferred, and it just didn’t look right.
Since getting my 12″x10″ EasyPress2, I decided to give Infusible Ink another try and made myself a cute tote bag for fall. It was a lot easier this time around and my finished project came out way better!
Cricut EasyPress 2
Think of the EasyPress as a big iron that allows you to design a variety of heat transfer projects using a variety of heat transfer materials. I have the EasyPress in two sizes – 9″x9″ and 12″x10″ (and will be getting the mini soon!).
I have been using the 12″x10″ EasyPress for most of my projects. Ironing vinyl onto things like shirts and bags is a breeze with this size since it covers the entire area of the design. That way, there’s no need to move the EasyPress around. Your design will be adhered to the fabric in one shot!
The other thing I like about my EasyPress is that the temperature is completely adjustable and goes up to 400 degrees. Plus, you can set a timer, which comes in really handy when working with different fabrics and iron-on materials. The EasyPress is really easy to use and comes with a heat safe base to set it on. It also has an auto-shutoff feature for when its not in use.
Oh My Gourd Fall Tote Bag
Now that I’ve introduced you to another one of my favorite Cricut machines, let’s make a really cute tote bag with it! For this project, I’m not only using my EasyPress2. I’m also using Infusible Ink.
If you’re not familiar with Infusible Ink, it’s completely different than iron-on vinyl. Infusible Ink allows designs to transfer directly into the fabric. So there’s no peeling, fading, or cracking over time. It also comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors, so the design possibilities are endless! But unlike vinyl, you have to be pretty precise and patient about it or your design won’t come out the way it should.
I’m hanging onto what’s left of fall, so I wanted to make a cute fall/pumpkin design. I opened up Design Space and searched for a pumpkin image. It was important that it had two colors so I could use black Infusible Ink for the stem and buffalo check for the pumpkin.
Then, I added “Oh my gourd,” and “I love fall” to the design, curving it around the pumpkin. Two small dots finished off my design. Then, it was ready to cut!
When I got to the cut screen, I made sure that my mats were sorted by color and that the images were mirrored. Just like using iron-on vinyl, you want to make sure that the designs are mirrored when cutting on Infusible Ink.
I set my Cricut Maker® to the Infusible Ink material setting and cut my design.
Once my design was cut, I used the “cracking method” to remove my design from the backing. You basically want to gently bend the cut design and remove the excess material. Then, I used heat resistant tape to keep my cut design secure and in place (VERY IMPORTANT WHEN USING INFUSIBLE INK).
Once my design was ready, I heated my EasyPress, set the timer, and pressed the design onto my tote bag.
SUPPLIES
STEPS
- Open the “Oh My Gourd” design in Design Space.
- Resize the image, if necessary. Then, place the black and buffalo check Infusible Ink on two cutting mats. Make sure the pattern-side is facing up.
- Set the Maker to the Infusible Ink material setting and cut each mat.
- Carefully use the cracking method to remove excess material from the design.
- Cut around the design and tape into place on the tote bag with heat resistant tape.
- Cover the design with the included butcher paper. Place cardstock or a piece of cardboard in the tote bag so the design doesn’t transfer through to the back.
- Then, set the EasyPress to 385 degrees and press with even and firm pressure, not moving, for 40 seconds.
- Carefully lift the EasyPress off of the design and remove the tape.
- Allow the design to cool before using the tote bag.
A few notes about Infusible Ink
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- This is the second project I’ve made with Infusible Ink. The first was a hot mess because the ink didn’t completely transfer and the EasyPress had shifted. The lettering was messy and missing in places.
- This time around, my project came out a lot better thanks to the heat resistant tape! It’s highly recommended! There was still an area of fading on the pumpkin, but it’s nothing I can’t live with.
- Make sure that you place the EasyPress directly down onto the design. This is why I recommend using the 12″x10″ EasyPress for Infusible Ink projects, so it covers the entire area.
- Also, make sure you only use Infusible Ink compatible bases with these projects.
- If Infusible Ink intimidates you, you can still make this tote bag using Black Everyday Iron-On and the Rustic Lodge Lumberjack sampler.
PIN FOR LATER
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