Ruffle Tote Tutorial

Here you have it...my new bag. 

A couple weeks ago my husband and I went to a Christian School Association competition where some of our teens were competing.  I saw a teacher (from the school where our teens go) carrying a bag that was ruffled perfectly, wonderfully shabby chic, and oh so springy!!  I'll bet she wondered why I was staring at her so much! Ha!! 

After some finagling I ended up standing right behind her while waiting to see a competition.  It gave me the opportunity to really scrutinize the bag and it's construction.  It was NOT lined, so therefore the handles were simply attached by an X at the top of the tote.  Since it was not lined, there would have been no inner pockets either. 

This is the same basic look of the bag I saw, but with some major changes to the construction of the bag. 

The fabric I used was a pink/green floral home decor weight fabric.  I purchased the last 2 1/2 yards on the bolt.  Let's see.  It was $11.99 yd at 30% off which made it $7.99 yd.  BUT because of the remnant pricing on end of the bolt pieces, the first 1 1/2yds was  $7.99yd, the last yd was $3.99 yd.  It was roughly about $15 for all of the fabric.  A bit much for me, but sometimes when I'm looking for a specific look...I cave a bit!

One of the things about this bag that I loved was the large flower!!  Hers was made differently but once again, you do what you can with what you've got!!  :)  I had a 3" wide strip of fabric left over. That was it!  I scrounged around my craft room and found some gathered ivory lace, rose color sateen fabric scraps, and ivory felt.  Pair these items up with the 50" strip of fabric left over and this is what you get! 

I cut a 4" circle.  Glue one layer of lace around the outside edge first.  Then the fabric ruffle I created from my left over piece...2 layers of lace after that, then a rose sateen rosette in the center.  That flower is at least 5" across!  I love it!

If you'd like to see a small tute on this flower, let me know. I did take some in the process photos just in case.

Looking down...still love that flower.

Inside the bag you'll see 2 zipper pockets...hUge zipper pockets!  Enough space in those pockets to hold my personal belongings then the tote portion of the bag is great for large notebooks, Bible's, and crafting projects I'm working on.  I LOVE this bag!

I chose to NOT use any type of closure for this bag.  It is so tall that a person would have to dig deep to reach anything, and then all my personal items are behind a zipper anyway. 

Wanna make this yourself?? 

Click here for the full tutorial!

If you're lovin' this bag as much as I am, keep an eye out in my shop.  It will arrive in a few months, after little Miss E has made her arrival :)