This lovely, handmade Día de Los Muertos Calavera tote bag is the perfect accessory for any festival or occasion! This gorgeous tote bag has felt flowers and an Infusible Ink sugar skull, and it’s the ideal size to hold tons of Pan de Muerto. It will be sure to delight all of your friends, family members, and other loved ones (present and deceased!)
What is Día de Los Muertos?
Día de Los Muertos is a cultural holiday that celebrates the lives of our loved ones who have passed away. It is held in Mexico and parts of Central America on November first and second. This lovely, handmade Calavera tote bag would be the perfect addition to your Día de Los Muertos festivities!
The sugar skulls used during Día de Los Muertos celebrations are called calaveras (the Spanish word for skulls). These bright, beautiful pieces of art are created by molding sugar into a skull shape and decorating it with frosting and glitter. During Día de Los Muertos celebrations, you can see the depiction of these sugar skulls in many different art forms, including papel picado (tissue paper flags), ceramic, paper, and more.
I love making projects for Día de Los Muertos, here are some of my favorite:
How to celebrate Día de Los Muertos
During Día de Los Muertos, families will often cook dishes with their loved ones in mind. Pan de muerto (bread of the dead), calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls), and other sweet treats are made for sharing with family members both living and deceased during this particular time of year. This calavera tote bag would be the perfect addition for Día de Los Muertos celebrations, especially if you are looking for a way to carry pan de muerto during your festivities!
Traditionally, Día de Los Muertos includes ofrendas (alters) set up in homes, public spaces, or cemeteries to remember and welcome back the souls of departed loved ones. They are a lovely way to remember all the special memories!
How to make a Handmade Calavera Tote Bag
Making this Handmade Día de Los Muertos Calavera Tote Bag is a simple process. The felt flowers and sugar skull can be attached to the bag with fabric glue, or you could sew them on instead! I recommend using an Infusible Ink transfer sheet and Infusible Ink blank tote, which will withstand wear and tear over time and not fade in the wash.
You’ll also need a few sheets of different colored felt to make the flowers. I’m partial to the Cricut Felt because it cuts better in my Maker 3. Keep in mind, you may need to run it through the machine a few times for a clean cut.
We’re going to start with deciding on a calavera image to use for this bag. I went with a file I found in Design Space but you can use one you already own or find one online you like better. Resize to fit in the center of the bag and then send to your Maker 3 to cut from a black Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet. Don’t forget to mirror!
Follow the instructions to transfer the Infusible Ink calavera to the tote with an EasyPress.
Find flower shapes in Design Space and cut them from different colors of felt. You’re going to want a few different flower sizes and types to make it look interesting. I also cut a few leaves for a pop of green! Assemble flowers with fabric hot glue.
Use the fabric hot glue to add the flowers over the Infusible Ink calavera on the tote bag. Finish by inserting leaves in between the flowers.
Your Día de Los Muertos Calavera Tote Bag is ready to go!
More crafts for celebrating Día de Los Muertos
Looking for more Día de Los Muertos crafts? I’ve loved making Day of the Dead projects for years. These Día de Los Muertos-inspired projects are the perfect way to celebrate and remember your loved ones!
Printable Instructions for Calavera Tote
Want to print out the instructions to save for future use? Here you go! Just click on the print button below and a new window will open with a print-friendly version. You can also share via Pinterest or Facebook too!
Día de Los Muertos Calavera Tote Bag
Equipment
Instructions
- We're going to start with deciding on a calavera image to use for this bag. I went with a file I found in Design Space but you can use one you already own or find one online you like better. Resize to fit in the center of the bag and then send to your Maker 3 to cut from a black Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet. Don't forget to mirror!
- Follow the instructions to transfer the Infusible Ink calavera to the tote with an EasyPress.
- Find flower shapes in Design Space and cut them from different colors of felt. You’re going to want a few different flower sizes and types to make it look interesting. I also cut a few leaves for a pop of green! Assemble flowers with fabric hot glue.
- Use the fabric hot glue to add the flowers over the Infusible Ink calavera on the tote bag. Finish by inserting leaves in between the flowers.
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