Learn how to use Cricut Infusible Ink and create a reusable tote that’s both beautiful and practical!
Today, before showing you how to use Cricut infusible ink to make these awesome reusable totes and give you some Cricut tote bag ideas to create your own bags, I want to talk to you about a serious issue.
Hunger is still a problem in our country. Each year, millions of people struggle to put food on their table due to underemployment, stagnant wages and a rising cost of living. Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, helps to provide hunger relief with over 40 million people (that’s 1 in 7 nationwide) utilizing their services.
In order to keep their services available to the people who so desperately need them, Feeding America needs our help. The best way to do that is by making a donation because they are experts at turning money into the most food possible.
For every dollar you give, the Feeding America network of food banks can provide at least 10 meals to families in need. Donate here.
If you wish to donate food directly to a local foodbank (which you can locate here), this is a list of the most needed items:
Top 10 Items Food Banks Need
- Canned meat & chili
- Canned vegetables
- Canned fruit
- Pasta sauce
- Non-perishable snack items for children (i.e. granola bars, juice boxes, applesauce)
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Low-sugar cereals
- Peanut Butter
- Instant Oatmeal
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
Once the food banks have food available, the next step is getting it into homes. Visiting a food bank can be stressful for many people because of the social stigma around needing help.
After picking up food, the recipient needs to get home, often by walking or taking public transportation, and carrying around a cardboard box full of food isn’t ideal. What could be better? A beautifully crafted custom tote bag sturdy enough to hold heavy cans of food.
So, let’s get on to the fun part of this post and make some tote bags that you can use to bring donations to your local food pantry and then leave there so a food bank visitor can use them to transport their food home – over and over again.
How to Use Cricut Infusible Ink to Make Custom Tote Bags:
The two pieces of equipment you’ll need to use are the Cricut Explore Air 2 (or you can use a Cricut Maker) and an Easy Press, the Cricut EasyPress 2 in my case. The main supplies you’ll need are Cricut Infusible Ink transfer sheets and Cricut Tote Bag Blanks.
When using infusible ink, you MUST you a specially designed blank so that the ink will transfer. You also need to use the Cricut EasyPress because a regular household iron does not get hot enough AND you can’t move your heat source around while applying or it will ruin your design. Let’s get on to the project! Here are the details:
Tools and Supplies:
Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets
Cricut Tote Bag Blank
Cricut Explore Air 2
Cricut EasyPress 2
Cricut EasyPress Mat (Helpful but not obligatory.)
Sheet of plain cardstock bigger than your design
Start by making your design in Cricut Design Space. You can search and use one of the other pre-made designs, or create your own like I did for the heart design and “World Peas” design.
If you like any of my designs, you can get them here:
Love Is All Around Tote Bag
Peas On Earth Tote Bag
Book Nerd Tote Bag
Load your transfer sheet with the ink side up (backing down) into your machine.
Set the Explore Air 2 to CUSTOM, select Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet in Design Space and cut. Be sure to reverse your image before cutting!
Once you have finished cutting, peel the backing away from your image and weed out any remaining material.
To prepare your tote bag for application, clean it with a lint roller. This is particularly important if you have cats invading your crafting area like I do.
Place your EasyPress Mat INSIDE your tote bag, covered with a sheet of card stock (this is to prevent any bleed through).
Now it’s time for the Cricut EasyPress 2. To get the correct temperature and time setting I referred to the EasyPress Heat Guide. For infusible ink transfer sheets on tote bags, set the temperature to 385° and the timer to 40 seconds and preheat.
Once it has reached temperature, cover tote bag with butcher paper (included with Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets) and preheat the tote bag for 15 seconds. Place transfer on tote bag design face down with the liner side up. Cover with butcher paper. Press with light pressure at 385°F for 40 seconds.
Slowly remove the liner while still warm. That’s it!
Now you’re ready to fill your bags and head on over to your local food bank to drop off a donation. Of course, you’ll probably want to make duplicates of your design to keep for your self too!
Cricut Infusible Ink Tote Bags
Equipment
- [Sheet of plain cardstock bigger than your design]
- [Sheet of plain cardstock bigger than your design]
Instructions
- Make your design in Cricut Design Space. (You can use one of our designs above.)
- Load your transfer sheet with the ink side up (backing down) into your machine.
- Set the Explore Air 2 to CUSTOM, select Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet in Design Space and cut. Be sure to reverse your image before cutting!
- Once you have finished cutting, peel the backing away from your image and weed out any remaining material.
- To prepare your tote bag for application, clean it with a lint roller. This is particularly important if you have cats invading your crafting area like I do.
- Place your Easy Press Mat INSIDE your tote bag, covered with a sheet of card stock (this is to prevent any bleed through).
- Now it’s time for the Cricut Easy Press 2.. For infusible ink transfer sheets on tote bags, set the temperature to 385° and the timer to 40 seconds and preheat.
- Once it has reached temperature, cover tote bag with butcher paper (included with Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets and preheat the tote bag for 15 seconds.
- Place transfer on tote bag design face down with the liner side up. Cover with butcher paper.
- Press with light pressure at 385°F for 40 seconds.
- Slowly remove the liner while still warm. That’s it!
Antoinette M says
Nice bag. The Cricut is such a great tool.
shelly peterson says
I love these tote bags. I wish I had a cricut.
Marisela Zuniga says
This is a really cute idea! I love the bags