Sometimes we love finding alternatives to using HTV on fabric projects, and this lunch bag is a fantastic project for getting your feet wet in the screen print world! We used scrap vinyl to create a stencil for our tote and use screen print ink to create an adorable and long-lasting text on this lunch bag!

Stenciled Denim Lunchbag

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Font Used:

Conscience

Supply Links:

• Cricut Maker
• 8×10 recycled canvas tote
• Scrap vinyl for stencil
• Masking Paper Transfer Tape
• Magenta Screen Print Ink
• Paintbrush
• Butchers paper
• 12×10” Cricut Easy Press
• 16×20” Easy press mat
• Becca’s favorite weeding tool
• Burnishing tool/scraper

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Measure the area on your tote where you want the graphic
2. Using basic shapes in the design space, add a basic shape that is sized to represent your tote
3. Insert a text box. Select the MGL’s “Conscience” font and type the text “WHEN’S LUNCH?”
4. Place text on top of basic shape and size text to fit
5. Weld text so that it is one layer
6. To create a stencil, select the basic shape and welded text layers (2 layers total) and press slice
7. Delete yielded slice results that you do not need
8. Press make it
9. Choose a premium vinyl setting, load mad with vinyl, load mat into the die-cut machine and let Cricut cut
10. Unload mat and weed vinyl
11. Apply transfer tape to vinyl, and use a squeegee tool to burnish
12. Remove the mat from the vinyl and burnish vinyl from the back
13. Remove backing and place vinyl on the tote
14. Burnish vinyl (may also want to use fingers for this to make sure stencil has adhered well to tote)
15. Remove transfer tape
16. Use a paintbrush to apply screen print ink to the tote. Use up and down motions so that the ink does not move the stencil. Use small amounts of ink so that excess ink does not seep underneath the stencil
17. Once you are happy with ink coverage, remove the vinyl stencil
18. Allow screen print ink to dry 24 hours (or at least overnight)
19. Place butcher paper over screen print ink and heat set with the large easy press. (Make sure to protect whatever surface you’re working on by placing a large easy press mat underneath your tote)