How to create a layered HTV tote bag with your Cricut Machine

CREATE A LAYERED HTV TOTE BAG WITH CRICUT

Get ready for summer with a gorgeous sunflower tote bag! Perfect for the festival season and looks so cute with a denim jacket and some white sneakers. With this step-by-step tutorial your can learn how to make your very own layered HTV tote bag using my FREE love sunflower SVG design.

Here I have chosen to demonstrate using layering as a technique, and I personally find the results to be better and less ‘gappy’. However, our Love Sunflower download comes as both ‘layered’ and ‘cut out’ meaning that you can choose how you want to make the design! So, without further or do, let’s jump right in.

This post may contain affiliate links (if you buy through them I get a small amount of money at no extra cost to yourself). Please see my privacy policy for details.

This design comes with a personal and commercial license to use up to 250 made items, but please do not re-sell or re-distribute the files. To download the free ‘love sunflower’ SVG click here!

Materials

• Love sunflower SVG
• A canvas tote bag
• HTV (black, yellow, brown)
• Cricut easy press mat or towel

Tools

• Cutting machine (Cricut maker, Silhouette, Explore or Joy)
• A Cricut Easy Press or iron
• A Cricut light gip mat (blue) or standard grip green mat
• Weeding tool
• A fine-point blade
• Scraping tool

Instructions

1. Upload the ‘Love Sunflower’ SVG into Design Space. Highlight the SVG and click ‘insert image’ to move it into your canvas area. Resize the SVG to fit the front of your tote bag. In this design, we will be layering each element of the design so you will find the SVG made up of 3 layers. I as I say, I (personally) find this makes the overall design results in a neater product, as there will be no gaps between the layers. However, you will need to make sure that you don’t OVERheat your design! Doing so will cause some of your layers to shrink.

2. Click ‘Make it’ and select ‘everyday iron on’ as your base material (HTV). Make sure that you MIRROR EACH ELEMENT OF YOUR DESIGN.

3. Load the vinyl on to your mat and cut each element. You’ll start with the top layer (brown), then middle (yellow), then bottom (black). Make sure you load the HTV on to the mat shiny side up.

4. Weed each of your designs

5. Place on top of the other… and you get this!

6. For a layered design, however, you will need to heat each layer one by one. You will position the bottom black layer first, heat then peel away the plastic. Next, do the same with the yellow and finally the brown layer. This is where the lower designs can shrink if you haven’t got your settings quite correct. To get the correct temperature settings visit Cricuts Official Heat Guide and enter in your materials and mat type.

7. Prepare you heat proof mat and lay the tote bag on top. Preheat your tote bag (I preheated for 5 seconds at 340F to remove any moisture from the bag).

8. Place the black bottom layer on your bag in position and press for 30 seconds at 340F. Make sure the HTV is completely cool before removing the plastic. Layer your yellow flower on top, repeat. Layer the brown layer. Repeat.

9. Flip your entire design over so the back of the tote back is facing up. Heat for 15 seconds. This will ensure the design lasts for longer!

10. That’s it! Now go and show it off!

Please Share our designs and share the love!

Please help us by sharing it before downloading the design. If you like these free designs, please take a moment to share on your favorite social media or pin it on Pinterest. That helps our site continue to grow so that we can continue to provide free content. Thank you! 💜

Want more freebies? Sign up below to subscribe to our newsletter and get free svgs every single week direct!