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Team Betty Tote Bag & Silhouette Winner!

Archie Comics Double Digest Cover
{Source}

I can’t even begin to catalog the number of hours in my childhood that were devoted to reading Archie comic books.  Countless!  At bedtime, my parents allowed us to crack open the door of our bedroom, so just enough hall light could spill in to read by.

With my sister Lisbeth on the top bunk and me on the bottom, we would stay up reading page after page of the exploits of the perpetual teenagers of Riverdale High.  We swapped books when we finished, reading them a dozen times over until the newsprint started to fade onto our fingers.

Although it’s hard to believe this now considering how close we are, there were several years during our youth when my sister and I were quick to bicker.  However, there was one thing on which we always agreed: TEAM BETTY all the way!

After all, Veronica Lodge is the girl you love to hate; she is written that way, a rich Daddy’s girl who always gets what she wants…even Archie!  Lisbeth and I always rooted for the humble, relatable, peppy, ponytailed Betty Cooper; the classic “girl next door.”  And in those rare issues when she ended up on Archie’s arm, all was right with the world.

Why am I waxing nostalgic this morning?  Well, it all connects to my most recent creation.  You see, it was Lisbeth’s birthday this past January 29th, and with the help of my Silhouette machine, I made her a gift to commemorate our early Archie Comics days.  Her very own “Team Betty” Tote Bag!

DIY "Team Betty" Tote Bag: A Silhouette Tutorial via thinkingcloset.com

I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out…and it was a bit risky since I have never mixed heat transfer vinyl with fabric paint before, but thankfully, this DIY had a happy ending!  And while I’m waiting to hear back from Archie Comics Publications, Inc. before sharing the cut file (since the image is not my own), I’d love to walk you all through my process, so you can use this same technique on any design you fancy!

Tutorial

Step 1.  Create your design in Silhouette Studio.  Okay, so after I found an image of Betty Cooper that I felt captured the classic Betty of my youth, I copied and pasted it into Silhouette Studio.  Then, I used the Trace tool to “trace” my design and turn it into a cut file.  Now, I wish I could tell you the exact prescription for getting the best trace.  Or even what “high pass filter” and “low pass filter” all mean.  But the truth is, I just fiddle around with the dials until I get the look I want.

How to Trace an image in Silhouette Studio

And then, I clean up the design using a few different tools.

First, I just draw small boxes around the tiny little excess bits I don’t need and just hit delete to get rid of those.  And the ones that are connected to bigger parts of the design you can’t delete, that’s where the eraser tool comes in handy!  Now, I have to sing the praises of the Designer Edition software in that the eraser tool actually works like an eraser; whereas in the free version of Silhouette Studio, it had a mind of its own and would go rogue, creating new cut lines (I could never get it to work right).  So, I drew a perfect circle around Betty’s head and went hog wild with the eraser…

Using the Eraser Tool to Clean Up an Image

…until I ended up with something like this:

Using the Eraser Tool to Clean Up an Image

As I worked, any connected lines I broke I reconnected manually by selecting the area I was working on, then “edit points.”  You’ll see a bunch of little dots or nodes pop up and you can click on any of those dots to move them or reshape them.  It takes a bit of piddling around before you get really savvy with this tool, but I just tried to make sure they appeared as connected as possible.

Using "Edit points" to adjust an image in Silhouette Studio.

Then, in the same window, you’ll see a button that says, “simplify.”  This will take the number of “nodes” from say 100 down to 50, and it can dramatically smooth an uneven image.

Using "Edit points" and "Simplify" to adjust an image in Silhouette Studio.

So, I worked on cleaning up this design for a good 20 minutes or so…and finally ended up with a Betty Cooper who looked presentable!

Cleaned up "Betty Cooper" cut file in Silhouette Studio.  via thinkingcloset.com

All I needed now was my “TEAM BETTY” text.  So, it was off to dafont.com where I downloaded the free font, Komika Axis, which I felt embodied the classic comic book style writing.  (Once you’ve downloaded any new fonts to your computer, just remember to save your project, close Silhouette Studio, and restart your software in order to see the new font appear in your font library.)

Adding the "Team Betty" text to my design.

I used the ruler tool on the sidebar and top margin of my software to size my design to my tote (another favorite feature of the Designer Edition software), and then remembered the oh-so-important-yet-easy-to-forget step of flipping my design horizontally before cutting.  This is key when working with heat transfer vinyl (HTV), since you’ll cut your design on the “back” side of the HTV.

Don't forget to flip your design horizontally when cutting onto heat transfer vinyl!

Step 2.  Cut your design on HTV.  So, I placed my black heat transfer vinyl shiny side down on my mat, selected “heat transfer vinyl” in my cut settings, adjusted my blade to the recommended settings, and sent my mirrored design to my Silhouette machine!  (What I should have done was a test cut first to make sure my cut settings were on point; I got lazy, but definitely do this to save yourself from wasting material!)

Cutting HTV on your Silhouette machine!

Step 3.  Weed excess material away from the design.  Usually I can do this step absentmindedly, but because there were so many intricate lines in this design, I had to be very conscious to use my hook tool to weed away the unwanted material while keeping the main outline of the design on the sheet of HTV.  Oh, and I used a pair of scissors to cut around the two designs and save as much of the HTV as possible for future projects.

Weeding out the excess HTV material using a hook tool!

Carefully weeded HTV.

Step 4.  Place your design face down on your fabric and iron.  Now, I actually used a new brand of HTV for this project, it’s by Happy Crafters; they have a deal for one free sheet of HTV on their website that my friend Randi alerted me to.  And as of the writing of this post, that offer still stands (free shipping, too), so click HERE to snatch yours up!  I have to say I was really impressed by how easy it was to use.

Now, on their instruction sheet, they recommend preheating your fabric by ironing specifically on the place where you will place your design.  So, I did just that, placed by design, and covered it with a thin piece of cotton fabric.

Placing the HTV design prior to ironing.

Then, I applied heavy pressure to my iron as I ironed the design for 25 – 30 seconds on each section.  (No steam; on the linen/cotton setting.)

Ironing the HTV design onto the tote!

And as instructed, I turned the tote over and actually stuck my iron inside the bag, so I could iron on the underside of the design.  I already knew the HTV was good and stuck because the plastic cover sheet started peeling away on its own!

Ironing the backside of the HTV design.

I allowed it to cool, then removed the remainder of the plastic cover sheet.

Peeling away the plastic sheet once the HTV has cooled.

I repeated the same step with my Betty profile picture, then it was onto the rest of the project!

"Team Betty" Tote Bag: HTV successfully applied!

Step 5.  Paint by number!  Okay, so here was the fun part.  I pulled out my acrylic paints and my handy dandy bottle of Americana fabric medium (affiliate link), which I got at Jo-Ann’s for $1.99.

In case you don’t know how fabric medium works, you can combine 2 parts acrylic paint to one part fabric medium, and it will thereafter function the same as fabric paint!  It doesn’t harden up the fabric, and it’s washable, too.  So, essentially, you can transform any paint you have into fabric paint with this little bottle.  Pretty cool, huh?  (Can’t beat the price either.)

Fabric Medium allows you to turn ANY paint into fabric paint.  It's magical!

So, I placed a piece of cardboard inside my tote bag (to prevent any paint from bleeding through to the back), and got to mixing up my different paint colors.  Now, since there were 6 different colors I wanted to include in my design, I just started with the lightest and moved to the darkest!  (White – Yellow – Purple – Blue – Pink – Black)

Betty Cooper's painting process!

I just used a thin paint acrylic paint brush for the detail work and a medium sized one for the bigger sections, like the background, and worked slowly, carefully to paint right up to the black HTV and not over it.  Of course, inevitably, some paint did get on the HTV.  But I found if I used a clean wet paintbrush and went over it right away, it came right off.

This step in the process may have taken me 45 minutes or so, but I was extremely enjoyable.  I’m a painting nerd.

Painting plate!

Step 6.  Dry time…then one final press!  You’ll want to follow the instructions on the fabric paint or medium you use, but mine called for 24-48 hours of dry time, followed by 30 seconds of heat set with the iron on each side; I used a cloth in between the design and the iron to be safe.  It is now wear and wash-ready!  (Though I recommend washing and drying HTV and fabric paint designs inside-out.)

DIY "Team Betty" Tote Bag: A Silhouette Tutorial via thinkingcloset.com

And there you have it!  A throwback tote to the days when love triangles reigned…and two sisters could find common ground in rooting for the underdog.

DIY "Team Betty" Tote Bag: A Silhouette Tutorial via thinkingcloset.com

We’re in your corner, Betty Cooper.

DIY "Team Betty" Tote Bag: A Silhouette Tutorial via thinkingcloset.com

Oh, and I couldn’t resist a copy of the Betty & Veronica Double Digest when checking out at the grocery store the other day.  I think it will be the first thing this tote bag totes on its way to Lisbeth’s doorstep in Pennsylvania.

The gift is complete!

Happy birthday, sweet sister.  There’s no better bunk bed buddy than you.

Create your own "Team Betty" Throwback Tote using heat transfer vinyl and fabric paint!  Easy to follow Silhouette tutorial by thinkingcloset.com
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More Sister Gifties!

For some follow up reading, here are some other gifts I’ve made for my sister:

Book Page Banner Tutorial & Free Cut File | The Thinking Closet
Book Page Banner Tutorial & Free Cut File
Denim Skirt Reveal via The Thinking Closet
Easy Denim Skirt for the Beginner Sewist

Silhouette Winner

Silhouette Portrait Giveaway! Win the craft-cutter of your dreams over at The Thinking Closet Feb 6th - 9th. Enter now!

A hearty thanks to everyone who participated in the Silhouette Giveaway I hosted here last week.  There was such a fantastic turnout with nearly 2,000 entries!  So, it gives me great joy to announce that the winner of a new Silhouette Portrait machine…as chosen by Rafflecopter and powered by random.org is…

Giveaway winner!

Huzzah!  Congratulations, Rebecca T!  Your crafting will never be the same.  {Fine print: I’ve contacted you for your shipping information; be sure to respond to my email in the next 48 hours or else I have to choose a new winner.}

Promotion Reminder

And I’ll take this opportunity to remind everyone that through this Friday, February 14th, you have the chance to get your hands on that Silhouette you’ve been dreaming of as well as the amazing Designer Edition Software!

For the full run-down of all the magical features of the Designer Edition software, check out my New Baby Washi Card post from last Thursday.  And remember that if you purchase an electronic download, you pay zero on shipping.  Score!

Readers of The Thinking Closet can visit the Silhouette Promo page and use my affiliate code CLOSET to access any of these amazing deals:

  • The Silhouette CAMEO®, The Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition Software, the glitter collection sketch pens, and the metallic collection sketch pens for $363.96 $269.99 ($94 in savings)
  • The Silhouette Portrait™, The Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition Software, the glitter collection sketch pens, and the metallic collection sketch pens for $243.96 $129.99 ($114 in savings)
  • 40% off the Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition Software!  $49.99 $29.99

Silhouette Promotion!  Awesome deals on machine bundles and the Designer Edition Software using the code CLOSET.  Feb 6 - 14 at thinkingcloset.com

There are just a few more days left to nab this deal!  To get the discounted pricing, click HERE and enter my affiliate code CLOSET at checkout.

The Silhouette Inspiration Continues….

Okay, I know this post is starting to take on Energizer Bunny qualities, but I’ve saved the best for last!

It’s the second Monday of the month, which means…Silhouette Challenge time!  My Silhouette friends and I are all sharing projects on our blogs related to this month’s theme: FABRIC.  And there’s quite the group of us this round: 44!  So, check out their projects below.  You can even click on the images in the graphic below to be whisked away to the respective blogs (a few of us are trying image-mapping this month…fancy schmancy), so have fun hopping around!

No-Sew Valentine's Day Pillows No-Sew Interchangeable Fabric Bunting Monogrammed Burlap Garden Flag Crawl, Walk, Bike Freezer Paper Stenciled Tote Bags DIY Bleach Spray Shirt Stenciling Sherlock Felt Star Wands Yoda Kid's T-Shirt Mark Your Territory- Dog Flags Nautical Pillows Big Sister Gift & Silhouette Cut File Nerdy Baby Onesies + Free Cut File Easy Easter Bunny Onesie - Silhouette Cameo Craft Fabric Envelopes for LEARNING LETTERS! (& cut file) Good Morning, Sunshine! Memo Board Hearts-A-Lot Burlap Pillow Cover Baby Quilt Surprise Holiday Banner Team Betty Tote Bag DIY Sock Minion Pretty Up Some Organza Bags Easy Heart Appliqued Onsies Bleach Pen Gel & Freezer Paper Stencils Made with the Silhouette Machine Valentines Baby Onesie & Boy's Shirt + Free Cut Files Valentine's OWL Always Love You T-shirt DIY Screen Printed Curtains Fabric Painted Quilted Wall Hanging Glitter Iron-On Top DIY Monogrammed T-shirts with Silhouette Heat Transfer Material Birthday Challenge Machine Applique with SIlhouette Cameo Fabric Applique Valentine's Day T-Shirt Cute as Cupid shirt Sew Cute Applique Rhino Onesie Upcycled Birchbox Cameo Accesory Organizer Customizing textiles with Heat Transfer Vinyl (working title) Easy Fabric Art Lady Bug Tote Bag with Silhouette Rhinestones Mommy and Em's Coordinated Aprons Canvas sketch project and a share Foxy Lady Pajamas Teddy Bear

1. A Tossed Salad Life // 2. unOriginal Mom // 3. The Turquoise Home // 4. It’s Always Craft Time // 5. Weekend Craft // 6. Practically Functional // 7. Please Excuse My Craftermath… // 8. Cutesy Crafts // 9. Architecture of a Mom // 10. Black and White Obsession // 11. Lil’ Mrs. Tori // 12. Creative Ramblings // 13. Essentially Eclectic // 14. Adventures in All Things Food & Family // 15. From Wine to Whine // 16. Tried & True // 17. My Paper Craze // 18. Dragonfly & Lily Pads // 19. Whats Next Ma // 20. The Thinking Closet // 21. Create it. Go! // 22. Getsilvered // 23. Create & Babble // 24. Bringing Creativity 2 Life // 25. The Frill of Life // 26. My Favorite Finds // 27. Chicken Scratch NY // 28. Terri Johnson Creates // 29. Simply Kelly Designs // 30. Pitter and Glink // 31. Fadville // 32. The Sensory Emporium // 33. DailyDwelling // 34. crafts, cakes, and cats // 35. Life After Laundry // 36. It Happens in a Blink // 37. Cupcakes&Crowbars // 38. feto soap // 39. McCall Manor // 40. Ginger Snap Crafts // 41. TitiCrafty // 42. Clever Someday // 43. Mabey She Made It // 44. Work in Progress //

{ Sometimes I link up at these partays.}

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase using my code, I receive a small commission.  Please rest assured that as always, I only recommend products that I use and love.

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27 Comments

  1. This is amazing, girl! Just going through all your AH-MAZING Silhouette tutorials!!! Love this! And love how you can paint over fabric?? You just blew my mind.
    Hugs,
    Jamie

  2. Seriously, who isn’t on team Betty? Wait, scratch that, I don’t think I want to know. I love the mix of htv and fabric paint – so cool! I’m sure your sister loved it!

  3. After reading this, I ran straight off to the basement to see if I still had my Archie comics – I used to LOVE them when we lived in the US! But (and I may make myself unpopular here!) I was always Team Veronica! haha I just felt she was misunderstood, and always felt really bad that she seemed to have more money than friends?! Such a strange 5th grader I was 😀
    Love this tote, and I love that your sister loved it – you’re such a crafting genius!
    Also, I brought something to the post office for you today.. I hope it makes its way safely to you!

  4. Oh my goodness, lady. You never cease to amaze! Your imagination, thoughtfulness and craftiness know no bounds! This is such a lovely gift!!! Also, great to know that instead of needing fabric paint, I can just add a magical liquid to any paint to MAKE fabric paint! Craft newbie here didn’t know that 🙂

    1. I only recently learned about the wonders of Fabric Medium myself…so I am making it my duty to tell the world! (It’s just such a game-changer, isn’t it?) Also, thanks for never ceasing to rock my world with your super encouraging comment love. If I listed all your comments on a piece of paper and read them aloud, one after the other, I think my heart would explode. And the hearts of anyone in an earshot. Seriously. They’re JUST THAT AMAZING.

  5. How cute! Yes, I remember those comic books well. Bet your sister loved her gift. You write the most comprehensive tutorials. I read all the way through and I don’t even have a silhouette machine.

  6. Such a thoughtful, fun, and creative gift to give your sister for her birthday! Loved the reading-at-night-in-your-bunk-bed story. I don’t think I was fully aware of the extent of reading and re-reading of the Archie comics that went on at that time, but sounds like it’s been pivotal! 🙂

    And thanks to K. Munro who worked at Archie and gave you both subscriptions for many years! Go Team Betty! Perfect for this season of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Wonder what her sport would be if she were participating–whatever it would be, Veronica would probably be competing against her!

  7. The paint with the HTV looks great! (I’m so glad to know that it worked) And I really love the flip pics to show the painting process .. totally awesome!!!

  8. I abso-tootin-lutely LOVE my gift!!! Team Betty all the way! Aw, so many good memories of being in my room (our old room) on the bunk beds and soaking up the Archies. I even remember being so little that I was unable to read all the words, but I would just look at the pictures and understood what was happening in the story (or at least I thought I understood). 🙂 I couldn’t stand how Ronnie would catch Archie’s eye! Betty is clearly, as you said, the sweet, humble, servant-hearted one…she’s got the best qualities! I love that I can now declare which team I’m on to the entire world! Thanks sweet sister, for this most precious and meaningful gift!!! I bet that soon all the folk in PA will be wanting one and I’ll have to dash their hopes, saying it’s a one-and-only…or maybe instead I’ll just send them to The Thinking Closet and they’ll have to buy a silhouette! Ooh, and I’m excited for the B & V Double Digest, too…I’ll be rootin’ on Betty the entire time as I read and wear my new tote. xox

  9. Cute cute cute!!!
    My Nannie used to buy me the Archie comics when I would go to the grocery store with her. I still have all of them packed away waiting for the day my kids will want to read them. I am with you and your sister – I was always on Betty’s side!
    Thanks for sharing this great idea. I am new to your site and have appreciated the handy dandy Silhouette tips you share.

  10. This is so great, Lauren! I’m sure your sister absolutely loved her gift! And thank you so much for the detailed tutorial. Lots of good tips in there for a newb like me. I’m getting excited for next month’s challenge!

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