Leaf Print Tote Bags

Transform plain or ugly tote bags into personalised accessories with our leaf print tutorial. Using fallen leaves and fabric paint, this easy craft project is perfect for crafters of all ages.

You will need:

• Plain tote bags
• Fabric paint/pens/markers
• Fallen leaves
• Paintbrushes, sponges
• Paint palettes
• Acrylic boards
• Wax paper
• Small cups for water
• Surface covering like waterproof table cloth or plastic sheet

How to Make a Printed Tote Bag

• Lay your fabric flat on a protected surface.
• If it's wrinkly, iron it first – smooth fabric makes better prints!
• If you’re printing on to a tote bag, like us, slide a piece of wax paper into the bag, to prevent the fabric paint from seeping through to the other side of the bag.

 Pick & Paint Your Leaf:

• Choose a leaf with clear veins.
• Place it face up (veiny side up) on the acrylic board.
• Dab paint onto the leaf using a sponge or foam brush – avoid overloading it with paint!

 Stamp the Fabric:

• Carefully lift the leaf and place it paint-side down on the fabric.
• Press firmly, smoothing it out with your fingers or a rolling pin.
• Gently lift the leaf to reveal the print!

 Let It Dry & Set the Paint:

• Leave it to dry for at least 24 hours.
• Heat-set the print by following the instructions on your chosen medium.

Try something different:

• Place a serrated or distinctly shaped leaf down without paint on it, and swipe the paintbrush over the leaf and on to the fabric to create a negative space design.
  
  
• Layer different leaf prints and colours for a forest effect.
  
  
• If using leaves with lots of moisture, press them between paper towels first to remove excess water.
  
  
• Use fine tipped fabric pens to add extra details to your leaves, sharpen up the outline, or add twigs or flower buds to the picture.

It's worth doing a swatch test of your paints or pens on a scrap of fabric similar to the one you'll be painting on, so that you can see how the colours will look once they dry. This is also a great way to practise your brushing or stamping techniques before you start on the real thing. 

We used fallen leaves for this workshop because it was a blustery, rainy September morning, and we wanted to bring a bit of nature and colour to an otherwise drab day spent indoors. You might find your inspiration elsewhere!

What we learned

Painting right up until 10 minutes before the end of the workshop didn't leave much time for any of the paint to dry. We didn't have any space to allow the prints to dry overnight, so our totes had to be wrapped in paper to take home.