Ruffled Tote Bags

A while back, I happened to check out the remnant bin at Walmart and surprisingly, I found this really cute, green floral material for a great price.  I've been wanting to make a general purpose tote bag that I could use for Yoga class or that I could just through everything in for Little Bear and me while we run errands.  This material would be perfect for such a bag.  I think its some kind of canvas or duck cloth and so with its thicker weight, it would make a nice sturdy tote bag.  

I found an adorable tutorial over at Morning by Morning Productions that I wanted give a try for this project.  I adjusted Abby's tutorial just a bit to make the ruffle part wider and on both sides of the bag.  I also made my own straps out of left over material since I didn't want to go out and buy anything special for the straps.  It was a pretty simple bag to put together and only took one evening to cut everything out and one Sunday morning before church to sew it all together. 

My Mom saw me with it when we visited them over Memorial Day and she loved it so much, she wanted to know if I could make her one.  Which is funny because my mom and I have about as opposite of taste as one can have.  I told her I could and left it at that.  But what she didn't know, was that later that week, I made a stop into Hobby Lobby to pick up some fun black & white print duck cloth to make a tote bag of her very own.  I put this bag together in pretty short order as well and can't wait to give it to my mom as I think she will really like it. 

I didn't tell her what I was up to because I wanted to surprise her with it as a "Thank You" since she has so graciously agreed to watch our Little Bear for an entire weekend!  That weekend is this weekend, and Husband Dearest and I are looking forward to a chance to get away for a bit and have some time to ourselves to celebrate our 4th anniversary.  I all ready dropped Little Bear off at Mom's house this morning.  I'm sure he will have a grand time this weekend chasing chipmunks and chickens, pulling up his grandma's flowers, dragging sticks around, drinking from the hose, and visiting Aunt Katie's farm across the road.