How to Make CTR Scripture Bags

I made CTR scripture bags for the students in my Primary class, and thought I'd do a little tutorial to show how to make them.  Here are the items needed to make the bags:

-- 8.5 x 11" canvas bags  (I found these "Me and My Bag" brand bags at Hobby Lobby  A pack of four cost $8, but used a 40% off coupon to lower the cost)
--clear contact paper to make the stencil
--green acrylic paint  I used Americana Leaf Green
--stencil brush
--permanent black marker or fabric marker
--large clear plastic lid (this one was from an oatmeal box)

You can download a copy of the CTR shield here, or it's found in the front of the Primary manuals.  Print it out and reduce it down until it measures about 4 and 1/4" across from the widest point on the outside line of the shield and 4 and 1/4" from top tip to bottom tip of the shield.

Trace shield onto the clear contact paper.  (It was helpful to do this on a window so the light could shine through and the lines were easier to see.)  MAKE SURE THE EDGES OF THE LETTERS ARE TOUCHING THE SHIELD OUTLINE, AS BELOW.  In the original pattern the letters don't touch the edge, so you'll have to adapt the letters a bit to get them to touch the edges, and each other.

Carefully cut out the pattern, using an exacto knife or very fine scissors.

Take the bags out of the packaging and press them.  Measure from sides to find center of bag, then down 2.5" from top edge.  use a pencil or water solvent marker  to make a small dot

Slowly remove backing from contact paper, being careful not to tear pattern; place top tip of shield on the pencil dot you just marked, and carefully press down to adhere, making sure to have pattern centered on the front of the bag,  Insert a piece of plain cardboard in to the bag to keep paint and marker from leaking on to back of bag.  (Do not use red poster board, as shown in these illustrations, since the red color bled on to the bag when I accidentally smeared some of the paint and used a damp cloth to remove it.) 

Use a flat stencil brush to apply paint over the pattern, using VERY LITTLE paint on the brush, and being careful not to go outside the plastic.  Once the pattern is covered with paint, very carefully remove the pattern and put it somewhere safe.  I was able to make six or seven bags using the same contact paper pattern.  The adhesive worked just fine on multiple bags

Allow the paint to dry, about 25-20 minutes .Once paint is dry, use the clear lid to trace around your green CTR shield, to make the outline.  (In the photo below there is already a black line, because I forgot to get a picture before I drew the line.  Sorry!)

Cut the shield out of plastic, then place it over your painted shield and trace with the black permanent marker 

Now that the CTR shield is finished, prepare to personalize with the name by using a ruler and  measuring up about 1/4" above the black tip of the shield.   I wrote the names out on lined paper first and found the middle of the name, then started at the middle and worked out when I was writing it on the bags. 

Use a pencil to LIGHTLY write the name in.  (I didn't do this on my first one and misspelled the name in permanent black ink, thus had to throw the bag away.  DON'T DO THIS!!)  The capital letters were about 1" tall.

 Trace over the name with black permanent marker and your bag is complete!!