Fresher’s Week might seem like a distant memory now (or, distant blur more likely) but the stash of freebies clogging up your closets is enough to remind you that it happened. From Baked Beans to slogan tees, its student protocol to accept everything and anything when free. Still tackling your surplus stash of canvas tote bags? Here’s a super-simple, purse-friendly idea, complete with step-by-step guide.

1. Get yourself equipped. You’ll need: a sheet of paper, pencil with eraser, scissors, magazine (or crappy free Fresher’s Week flyer), sticky tape, fabric paint (£2, from a craft store or Leeds market), and finally one of your many canvas bags.

2. Cut out your initial from the sheet of paper – or any other shape of your choice – and tape to the plain side of the bag. Slip the magazine or flyer inside the bag to stop the paint leaking through.

3. With the stencil in place, dip the eraser end of the pencil in the fabric paint and dot onto the fabric, in any random pattern. Build it up as much or as little as you like, and add in additional colours for that extra pizzazz! We opted for red, white and gold to create for this one.

4. Once happy, leave it to dry. Remove the stencil and voila! All set to stash your books, gym kit and groceries… and a cheap Christmas idea too.

Lauren Sawyers