I made my 3 boys their own trick-or-treating bag and put their names on the front which I like better than any "cutsy" Halloween design I looked at. I'll share how I did it so you can do it too. It's relatively easy, cheap and it looks like something you'd buy from the store.
What you need:
-Bag (preferably unassembled to make things easier)
-Double Stick Fusible Web
-Fabric for letters (I did mine in vinyl because it was thicker to add dimension and cuts really clean, but you could use pretty much any fabric)
-Sharpie marker (ultra fine-point)
-Iron
-Scotch tape
For the name, the first thing to consider is how big/small you can make it to fit on your bag. You can design your name on a computer program and print it out or you can sketch it on a paper. Make sure your lines are dark enough that you can see through the backside really well if you hold it up to a light.
I designed my names in Adobe Illustrator using the 'envelope distort tool'. Create your name with Text and draw a shape you want it to fit inside. Select text and shape and select 'envelope distort'.
Once you have your name printed/sketched, tape it on the window with the ink side against the window (creating a mirror-image) so that the name is backwards. Next, tape a piece of fusible web over your name (the web should have a fusible layer sandwiched between 2 sheets of wax-like paper... keep all layers together until further direction). Use your fine-point Sharpie to trace the name onto the back of your fusible web.
Peel off the wax sheet that doesn't have your name traced onto it and lay the fusible layer against the WRONG side of your fabric. Use a hot iron and press against wax-side of web for about 5 seconds to melt to the fabric.
Cut out your letters, keeping wax paper intact still.
Arrange your letters over the front (rightside) of your bag. Once you have them arranged how you want them to look, carefully place 2 pieces of scotch tape across the top and bottom edges of your letters to keep them in place.
Flip your letters over so you can remove the last wax paper from off the back.
Now you can flip your letters back over and place them exactly where you want them to be ironed. They should stay in place with the tacky back of your letters and the scotch tape so that you can flip your fabric over and iron from the backside.
Use your hot iron to press and melt fusible web to bag.
Now you can assemble your bag and admire your work! If you're interested in the bag tutorial I used, click here.
Labels: craft, DIY, sewing, tutorial
