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You can decorate tote bags with Sharpies!

Decorated tote bags are a great way to show off personality on a really useful product.

Creating some unique and interesting tote bag designs is simple with Sharpie permanent markers. These make great gifts or the perfect way to show off your own unique style.

Sharpie themselves have a great DIY project on their site using stencils to decorate a rucksack.

Here I’ve created a whole range of Christmas designs which work really well as a stocking filler or filled with small gifts!

How to create decorated tote bags

First you need to buy or create a tote bag. A wide range of designs, or patterns, can be found online. You want a tote which is made out of a material like canvas rather than jute or similar for easy decorating.

Tote bag prep

Next to prep the bag your need to wash it, depending on your bag, a cold setting on the washing machine is probably best!

After that you will probably want to iron it aswell. Once its neat and flat slide a piece of cardboard inside for rigidity and protection from ink running through.

Design time

Then you need to think about your design.

If you are doing a seasonal design be sure to check out our ideas for Christmas or Halloween.

If you want to before you begin with the pen you can lightly sketch your idea. Be aware that it can be difficult to remove pencil marks from your tote.

Now you are ready to draw your designs. Remember to put a thick piece of cardboard inside your bag to add support and to stop your pen going through from the front to the back. Start with lighter colour Sharpies, or permanent markers, first as you can always go over with dark colours but you can’t lighten them.

Decorated tote bags finishing touches

When you are happy with your design leave to dry for a couple of hours and then iron.

Use a hot setting but no steam! Remember to put paper over the bags to protect the iron and try to not drag the iron (or the paper) as this could smudge the design!

Voila! All finished. It’s still best to not get the bags too wet and avoid washing them.

Decorated tote bag gallery