How to make a leaf print tote bag

Looking down onto a table where someone is hammering leaves onto a cotton tote bag to create a pattern. — Making a leaf print tote bag | © National Trust/Bob Appleby

Autumn is a great time for creativity and mindfulness. Escape into the season with this eco-printing craft, where you can use leaves you’ve collected to create a leaf print on tote bags, cotton aprons or bunting. Follow our step-by-step guide or the video tutorial.

What you’ll need

A selection of leaves that you’ve gathered
The cotton fabric you’d like to print on
Masking tape
A hard surface, such as a wooden chopping board
A hammer or wooden mallet

Method

Prepare your fabric: Lay the fabric out onto a hard surface, facing down.
Arrange your pattern: Place your chosen leaves onto the fabric in your desired pattern.
Keep leaves in place: Secure the leaves down with masking tape at their stems.
Get hammering: With your hammer or wooden mallet, tap on the leaf with some light pressure. Make sure to keep your hands out of the way and ask an adult for help if needed. When you hammer the leaves, try and be gentle but firm enough to make sure that they print without breaking or moving them. Keep lifting each leaf to check your progress as you go.
The reveal: Peel off the leaf from the underside of the print – this will leave an impression behind.
Keep going: Repeat the process to create your pattern and your tote bag is ready to use.

Top tip

Look for leaves that have brighter colours. Fresher leaves will work best for this craft. Experiment on a spare piece of fabric if you’d like to try a few pieces of foliage before you work on the final print.

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Video

How to make a leaf print tote bag

Follow along with the video tutorial to see how you can create a print using leaves. If younger ones would like to try this craft, make sure an adult is around to help out.