{sweet awning stripe tote}

As I was wandering through the fabric department one day, I fell in { L O V E } with this awning stripe canvas. It had a fantastic texture and slight coating on one side. I am sure it was intended for use on outdoor furniture. I did not have any outdoor furniture to recover, but I loved it.

...it turns out it makes a great and sturdy tote bag...

 ...of course it had to have nice wide handles to support lots of goodies at the market...

 ...and a ruffled peony. I love the twine center...

 ...and a yummy ruffle...

 ...I gave it a nice wide bottom...

 ...it would be a great bag to load up with fabric, books, beach goods...

 ...a wide band at the top gives it a nicely finished look, and some support as well...

 ...I did learn I needed a stronger needle to sew through all the tough layers of canvas...

 ...but a bent needle was worth it...

 ...the thick muslin ruffle and silky layered flower offers a nice variety of textiles...

 ...I like to leave my muslin shabby on the edges...

 ...and the green stripe is perfect for Spring and Summer...

 ...plus it will fold up nicely for easy storage at home or in the car...

 ...and if I need extra support, I can always add a covered chipboard bottom...

 ...see how roomy it is...

 ...suddenly, it seems { GOING GREEN } is beautiful!

...enjoy!

{linking up here this week}