Gelli Arts® Printed Tote Bag

Hi there! It’s Marsha back
again with a fun Gelli® Printed Tote Bag for your cool kids!

With school starting again,
there is always a need for another bag. So why not decorate your own personalized tote bag using the fun littleGelli Arts® Mini Plates!

In my video I use acrylic
paint mixed with a fabric medium to print on fabric. 

Paints like Jacquard’s
Lumiere Metallics, Neopaque Opaques and Textile Colors, Versatex Printing Ink
and Speedball Fabric Opaque Screenprinting Ink should work well for Gelli® printing on fabric!

Preparations:

Before you start printing,
the cotton tote bag needs to be washed and ironed. The paint will grab onto the
cotton fibers better when all sizing is washed out.

Find a cardboard panel that
you can place inside the tote bag whilst you are working on it. Slip the
cardboard into a plastic bag before you place it inside the tote.

The panel will help keep the
fabric straight and it will prevent the paint from seeping through to the other
side of the bag. The plastic bag will prevent the paint from soaking the
cardboard as well as prevent the fabric from sticking to the cardboard, making
it easier to remove the panel once the paint is dry.

Also, check the instructions
on the paints you are planning to use. Some fabric paints just need to dry for
a set amount of hours before they are permanent, others need to be heat set in
order to become permanent and washable.

Step 1:

Create a background layer
for the Gelli® Print using fabric spray paints and a stencil. The spray paint
will soak the fabric, so let it dry before you proceed to the next step.

I found the stencil in the
craft section of a dollar store.

Step 2:

Mix your paints when using
acrylic paint and fabric medium. I used Liquitex Fabric Medium and I mixed one part fabric medium to one part acrylic paint which was recommended on the
package.

Step 3:

Choose a Gelli Arts® Minito stamp with. I used the 3” square mini plate because I wanted to create a checkered pattern. Mount it onto an acrylic
stamping block.

Apply fabric paint to the
Mini Plate with a brayer, place a mask on the fabric and stamp over it.

Repeat until you are happy
with the design!

Step 4:

My animal masks had little
eyes, mouths and noses that didn’t transfer onto the fabric, so I first drew
them in with a Sharpie and then I traced them with 3D fabric paint. You can of
course use a fabric marker instead of the Sharpie.

3D fabric paint needs to dry
flat for a long time before it’s set. Make sure that it’s completely dry before
you turn the tote bag over to work on the other side or before you remove the
cardboard sheet.

Step 5:

Let the paint dry for the
hours stated on the instructions on the package. Heat set if needed.

Step 6:

Take your new bag out for a
spin! Or create another one because this tote bag will be a cool gift too!

Materials:

Gelli Arts®:

Gelli Arts®Minis – Round, Square, Triangle

4″ Pop-In Soft Rubber Brayer

Other:

Cotton tote bag

Fabric spray paint (Tulip)

Acrylic paint (Royal Talens Amsterdam: Oxide Black, 

Sky
Blue Light, Turquoise Green)

Fabric medium (Liquitex)

Fabric marker (Sharpie)

Stencil and masks (Flying Tiger)

Similar Stencils here

Cardboard panel

Plastic bag

Acrylic stamping block

Optional: 3D fabric paint (Tulip Slick Black)

PS: Please—share your prints with us on our Facebook page, or on Instagram using the hashtag #gelliprint #gelliarts and #gelliplate. Tag us with @gelliarts on Instagram and Twitter too! We love to see what you’re creating!!

Remember, we now have Gelli® partners all over the world, so it’s easier than ever to find a Gelli® retailer near you!