How to Make a Layered Iron-on Aloha Tote!

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How to Make a Layered Iron-on Aloha Tote!

Learn how to easily layer iron-on vinyl for the perfect Summer beach bag!

Make a giant hibiscus in 3 vivid iron-on colors with an Aloha to tie it all together.

The SVG is designed with no overlapping layers, so it's perfect for all kinds of heat transfer vinyl.

Hi, I'm Natalie and I love hibiscus flowers. (Hi Natalie!🙋‍♀️ )

It's true. They are my most favorite flower.

I turned this little doodle and calligraphy into a free SVG file for you to use too!

I'm part of Heat Transfer Warehouse's Summer Days of Downloads!

Head to Heat Transfer Warehouse for the FREE Hibiscus Aloha SVG I designed!

This SVG is totally me! If you've been around a while, you'll know of my love of hibiscus...even though I've never been to Hawaii, it's on my mind right now.

Fun fact: For the last decade or so, I cut out a black hibiscus flower out of vinyl and stick it to our car back door window.

It's how I can find my car in a parking lot.

It's how I get away with putting stickers on my car, even though my husband doesn't want them.
It's our compromise.

I think I've done it to 5 of our vehicles!

Supplies Needed for Aloha Tote Bag:

Canvas Tote Bag
Heat Transfer Vinyl or Iron-on in 4 colors (you decided which colors to use! I used pink, yellow, green and rainbow holographic htv)
Cricut Cutting Machine
Cricut EasyPress 2
Cricut EasyPress Mat
Teflon, Parchment Paper or heat resistant protective cover sheet
FREE SVG Designed by me from Heat Transfer Warehouse (plus there are lots of other Summer themed FREE SVG's too!)

Step 1: Cricut Design Space

Begin by updating Cricut Design Space (lol, is it just me or is there an update every time you start up CDS?😉 )

Then click the "upload" tab and slide in the SVG you downloaded from Heat Transfer Warehouse!

You can change the colors of the layers if you like.

Then click "make it".

Cricut Design Space will separate each color/layer onto it's own mat.

Go through and click the "mirror" button on every layer.

Step 2: Heat Transfer Vinyl

Now begin with the first layer that Cricut Design Space is cutting first.

Place the heat transfer vinyl on the cutting mat, with the colored side adhering to the sticky side of the Cricut cutting mat.

Then have the Cricut machine cut the heat transfer vinyl or iron-on.

Once done, remove the vinyl from the mat and load the next color.

Repeat this for the 4 colorful layers of this project.

Step 3: Weeding Vinyl

After all the pieces of iron-on vinyl have been cut, trim around the vinyl with scissors and then use the hook tool to weed the excess negative space vinyl from the design.

I love love love using HTV or iron-on!

It's so much easier to weed than regular vinyl or glitter vinyl for sure!

Once the iron on vinyl has been weeded, it's ready to press.

Line up the pieces so you can see how they fit together and decide the placement for the big pink blossom on the tote bag (or whatever blank you've selected).

Once you know how it all fits on the tote, remove every piece except the pink flower.

Step 4: Heat Press

Cover the iron on with teflon or parchment and press the flower.

After pressing the flower for the correct amount of time, place the Aloha underneath.

Recover the flower, and press the Aloha.

Then place the yellow flower center and the green leaf on the tote.

Cover the whole thing with the teflon again and press them.

Then let the heat transfer vinyl and the tote cool down completely before peeling off the carrier sheet.

That's it!

This super cute tropical tote is ready to take to the pool, beach, camping or back-to-school to keep the spirit of Summer all year long.

I love how it turned out!

That sparkle HTV is my favorite!

You can use the image in a variety of ways too and on all kinds of surfaces.

Just the hibiscus flower (just remove the aloha) or just the aloha (and remove the flower).

I know it's a pattern I'll use over and over--because hibiscus.

I love all things tropical, Summer time, palm trees, hibiscus flowers, pineapple and coconuts, ocean waves, aqua, and all things hot.

It's so easy to put this fun tote together, just head over to Heat Transfer Warehouse for their Summer Days of Downloads and get all the FREE SVG's including this one!