How to Paint a Wicker Bag?

If you've been to a store lately or shopped online, you've definitely noticed that straw bags are this summer's must-have. All the stores carry them and they are all so cute! Although I already have a small straw bag, I wanted a bigger one for everyday use (I carry a lot of stuff on a daily basis), but didn't want too high a price tag. That's why I decided to paint a straw tote and get a nice summer bag at a fraction of the price! (Don't worry if you don't feel like painting your new wicker bag yourself; I've rounded up a few of our favorite straw bags available right now.)

Painted straw bags and French market bags are all the rage right now. Good brands offer them for more than 100 euros. We decided to show you how to create this trendy look yourself for much less. We share with you an easy tutorial to paint your straw beach bag.

This is a super simple project that will leave you with an original wicker summer bag. Here are the basics you need to prepare before starting your little trendy project:

1. Choose your style of Wicker Bag
2. Multi-surface acrylic paints in the colors of your choice
3. Brush
4. letter stencil
5. Masking tape (to hold the stencil in place)
6. Scraps of fabric (to make the pompom)
7. Embroidery thread (to make the tassel)
8. Nail scissors (to make the pompom)

Before you start, you should know that we are going to explain two different techniques and ideas for painting and decorating. They are very basic and easy and form the basis of all the more intricate and interesting decorations you can imagine. Remember, your limit is your imagination!

Here are the basic steps for painting your wicker bag.

How to paint perfect vertical stems.

First step : fix your bag according to the shape you want to paint. Here we have prepared to paint with two strips of different size (in order to paint three strips of different colors on the wicker bag) but you can be creative and paint a heart, star, circle, etc. (for more information on how to do this, see the second blog idea). Press the masking tape firmly onto the bag to prevent the paint from dripping. Pay attention to the handles if you must paint near them. Sometimes painting your wicker bag around the handles can be tricky and if you're not careful with the tape the strips won't look symmetrical and aligned. If necessary, you can help yourself by cutting the tape around the handles to make them straight. Also, if you paint around the handles, it's possible that some paint will hit the handle itself. If that's not your intention, you can also cover the base of the handles with tape.

Second step : paint your first color. To clarify, we are not painting the tape but the wicker surface of the bag between the tapes :)

Choose the color you like - for a summer bag it is very trendy to have white and gray stripes or another nice color combination is white and dark blue. Of course, the choice is yours.

After painting, allow to dry for 15 minutes or until dry to the touch and apply a second coat. Keep the symmetry simple and the colors clear and crisp. It will remind you of your early childhood :)

Once you have painted the first two outer stripes (colors), allow the wicker bag to dry for at least 20 minutes (depending on the amount of paint used). If you're impatient, you risk scratching the freshly painted strips or getting paint on your fingers and transferring it to the bag (the moisture from your skin can keep the paint fresh for over 30 minutes, depending on the paint brand).

Step Three : Remove the masking tape - only after making sure the paint is dry. Remember that you can paint the same strips more than once after they dry to achieve brighter, richer colors. Examine the flaws in the paint and let it sit for another 5 minutes before moving on to color or the middle stripe!

Step Four : Paint your second color between the white lines (or whatever color you chose to use for the outer stripes). Paint one coat, after painting let dry for 20 minutes or until dry to the touch and apply a second coat (if you don't achieve enough you can continue painting until the color is good enough for you). If you didn't cover the tape well at first, now is the time to make small corrections. You may need to touch up your lines a bit.

Step Five : Spray your bag (in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors) to seal in the paint. If you covered part of the handles with tape at the beginning to protect them, you must remove them before spraying. If you forget, the spray can make the tape harder to remove later. Once the paint is well sprayed, allow it to dry in a draft-free room. This is important because if there is an open window or door or any other reason in the room for it to get drafty during the drying process, there could be small particles stuck to the wicker bag brought in by the air current.

How to paint a horizontal stripe and a letter on the wicker bag.

First step : You can use the same technique as for the vertical stripes using the adhesive tape. Decide on the size of the stripe you want and the number of colors. In this pattern, we are going to show you a single bottom stripe in a nice cool turquoise color. If you feel confident enough, you can skip the protective tape and let go :)

Second step : Choose a shape or create it yourself. In our case, we chose a small letter B that we found in the wallet of one of our members. Apparently it had been there for years and he gladly gave it away for everyone's sake :)

If you want, you can find different designs and ideas here but the main thing is to choose the symbol you want to paint on your wicker bag. Once the shape is ready, it's time to secure it to the bag with some more tape.

Step Three : Once you've completed Steps 1 and 2, it's time to paint!

We advise you to place the bag on a well leveled surface (table). Keep in mind that when painting small symbols or objects there is more detail and if the paint rubs off it will be clearly visible. That's why it's good to lay the bag on a flat surface so that gravity doesn't bleed your paint.

Fourth step : Once the symbol is painted, the drying and spraying is the same as for the previous model that we explained above.

Step five : Give your wicker bag a unique look! If something is missing from the new style, you can always create something interesting with a fabric pom pom with a few scraps of fabric. To do this, simply cut narrow strips of fabric using a shear, overlap them, fold them in half and secure them near the top with embroidery thread! You can cover the embroidery thread with another piece of fabric for a more "finished" look.

So what are you waiting for? Winter will soon be over and the summer sun will kiss us again. Be ready and trendy and paint your wicker bag ASAP!