Silhouette Tutorial Tote bags for the Cameo and Portrait!

I'm so excited about this week's Silhouette digital cutting files! 

I've got little tote bags going up in the Silhouette store this week. 

These would make perfect little gift bags, or bags for little treats...or party favor bags...

or fun organizational decor...it's up to you how to use the bags,

as there are just so many ways you could use them!

Best thing about this file...I kept both Cameo and Portrait users in mind when designing it.

Bag Scalloped Tote (studio format)

 Bag Simple Tote (studio format)

Pinked edge tote (studio format)

spiderweb tote (studio format)

 When you open the file, it is formatted for a 12 X 12 cutting area...

however, if you are a smaller format cutting machine owner, I grouped everything in such a way 

that you can easily resize the grouping just a tad to maximize the space on an 8.5 x 11. 

First cut the file out. I recommend using double sided card stock...then you only have to cut once and then you can use the opposite side of the paper for the contrasting elements like the straps and base.

 Fold the base.

 Glue the tabs, then adhere them together at the sides to form the base.

 Find the large rectangular piece--this will become the bag.

 Roll the piece up to make the paper flexible.

 Go ahead...roll it even tighter. This will make it more flexible when shaping it into the base. 

 Now glue the edge. (This is approximately 1/4 inch area on the edge.)

Flex the base a bit to make it shape with the bag portion. 

Glue around the bottom of the bag.

 Put the bag into the base. 

Roll the corners of the bag pressing one finger behind and shaping from the front with your thumb and forefinger. Play with the cardstock a bit to shape it how you would like.

 While the glue is still wet, glue the back of each of the straps and tuck them into the base. Weave the buckles with the strap at the top and fold over. (if you use tape, you may want to glue the straps before glueing the bag to the base...I just happened to do this a little backwards.)

 Add all the straps the same way.

 Curl the handles. 

Thread the handle through the buckle.

 Glue them into the buckles at the top on the inside of the bag.

You may need a dot of glue here and there to make the handles lay the way you want.

Squeeze the bag to shape it how you want. 

(this is why there aren't fold lines--so you can create your bag's unique look.)

Voila!

You have your tote!

Thanks for stopping by.

Samantha

Silhouette "How did you do that?"

I'm just popping in today with a few little hints for using your Silhouette machine.  If you are new to the machine, or if you are afraid to cut detailed projects...I have some suggestions for you, so that you can succeed in doing this in a clean easy way. You can do this!  I promise!

When I first started using my Silhouette, I thought that it couldn't cut thick cardstock like Bazzill...but...that was because I had my settings all wrong. I was frustrated to say the least. Oh...and one other minor thing was effecting my results...and this is where I'll have to let you in on my dirty little secret...I actually purchased my Silhouette SD machine used. Gasp! I know...I design for them...I should have bought a new machine.  However, I'm very budget aware...some may call that cheap...I call it being frugally smart.  (All my friends who know me are laughing...and shaking their heads up and down...because they know I like to buy a lot my things used...like clothing, home improvement stuff...and what have you...it's just me.) I finally discovered that it wasn't the machine that was causing my frustration...it was my blade... it just wasn't sharp. Also...my mat was well-used and almost out of "sticky." So I was set up for a bad experience from the get go.  But...once I changed the blade, and got a new mat...I was a very happy camper, because my machine turned into a slick system...cutting everything like butter.

So my point with all of that above stuff...make sure you are cutting with a sharp blade, and a sticky mat free of debris. Otherwise, you will run into the same frustrations that I did.  It makes sense, doesn't it?

Next thing you need to be aware of...If you are using thick paper or card stock to cut a detailed design...which I like to do because it strengthens the design, screw on your pink cutting cap (the 0.3mm one). That's the cap designed for cutting heavier papers.  After the pink cap is nicely attached...then go to your Silhouette software.  Make sure that you set up your machine so it knows you are cutting heavy cardstock...in the settings menu on the right side, select the (heavy 80lb.) This will automatically adjust your paper thickness to 33, and your speed to 3. I did a test cut on one of these boxes with my heavy cardstock at these settings.  It wasn't quite enough for the detail in this design...it cut...it just didn't cut all the way through in a few areas, so the designs didn't entirely "release" when I lifted it off the mat. So I made a few small adjustments.  I lowered the speed to 2. It's always a good idea to lower the speed when you get into a detailed design... AND I put the settings on "double cut."  That setting does just that. It cuts the design twice as it goes along.  By making these minor little adjustments, the results were perfect.  The design released effortlessly from the mat, having cut every little detail the way it was intended.  Now that makes me happy...because if you are familiar with any of my designs...you will quickly realize that I love little details.

This week I have several new designs that have loads of detail in them...don't be afraid to try these!  They take a little time for the machine to cut, but the machine does all the work...you can choose what you want to do while the machine wizzes and whirrs around on the paper...be that folding laundry, surfing on the net, talking on the phone, or eating a bowl of ice cream. Or...if you want...you can stair in amazement as the machine "does it's thing" until the design has been cut.